At a press conference, Economy Minister Nir Barkat accused Dudi Wertheim, one of the owners of Channel 12, of being in a clear conflict of interest because of his ownership stakes in major food companies. Barkat said Wertheim controls holdings in Coca-Cola, Tera, Neviot, Prigat and Carlsberg, and claimed those businesses are harmed by the reforms he is promoting.
According to Barkat, that is why the channel is targeting him. He linked the criticism to two initiatives he is advancing, "What is good for Europe is good for Israel" and "Israel's basket," saying the companies tied to Wertheim stand to lose from both.
Barkat added, "Dudi Wertheim is in a clear conflict of interest, and it must not be allowed to continue like this." He argued that public officials are constantly lectured about conflicts of interest, while the same standard is not applied to powerful business owners who also wield media influence. "This must be dismantled," he said.
