Economy Minister Nir Barkat was present at the press conference held Wednesday evening by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, but was not invited to speak or comment on the steps his ministry is taking to lower the cost of living.
Barkat was also not seated at the table with the Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance, instead sitting next to the journalists together with Netanyahu's economic advisor Prof. Avi Simhon, and the head of the budget department at the Treasury, Yoav Gerdos.
Sources in the Likud wondered why Netanyahu invited Barkat to the event if he did not intend to allow him to speak as well. Netanyahu even mentioned Barkat several times and it seemed for a moment that he would give him the right to speak - but this did not happen.
The same sources estimated that the Prime Minister may have brought Barkat to the event to show on the one hand unity in the government's economic line, but preferred not to allow Barkat to stand out since he is one of the strongest candidates to succeed Netanyahu as Likud leader in the future.
The Economy Minister's office refused to comment on the matter.