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Roni Schutzer / AFP - Getty Images
Israel's Defense Minister Ehud Barak on Monday announces that he is quitting political life after a decades-long career that also saw him serve as prime minister.
News analysis
TEL AVIV, Israel — Internet forums in Israel sprang to life when Ehud Barak made his surprise announcement that he would retire from politics in eight weeks. The overwhelming sentiment on Ynet and other newspaper forums — good riddance.
But the key question is, does he mean it? Consider his background.
Israel’s most decorated soldier, universally recognized as a brilliant special forces officer, in the army for 36 years. When he went into politics he became foreign minister within two years, then prime minister and now defense minister.
And he’s 70 — not at all old in Israeli politics.
Now think of the reasons he gave in his press conference to end his spectacular career in Israel’s military and political power centers: to spend more time with his family. "I want to study, write, live and have a good time," he said.
What Gaza fighting taught Israel about possible war with Iran
Barak has already earned considerable wealth through lectures and business consulting, and has a reputation among Israelis for enjoying the high life. So much so that to counteract that reputation, which he feared would hurt him in the polls, he sold his apartment in the plush Akirov Towers in Tel Aviv and bought an apartment in a more modest new building.
But that was in March when retiring from politics must have been the last thing on his mind.
Kobi Gideon / GPO via Getty Images
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (L) and Ehud Barak visit Israel's northern Israeli border with Syria on November 14 in an image provided by the Israeli Government Press Office (GPO).
At the time he wrote on his Facebook page that his older home “gives a sense of alienation and detachment from the public and so we decided to move to a smaller and less expensive apartment.”
So the idea that Barak would decide to devote the rest of his life to having “a good time,” just when Israel faces one of its most momentous decisions ever -- whether or not to attack Iran’s nuclear facilities -- and as Israel faces numerous military challenges, from Gaza to Hezbollah, to Iran and Syria, rings false to some analysts.
The real reason for the dramatic announcement, one political source said Monday, is that the party Barak founded in January this year, "Independence," is set to get trounced in the elections scheduled for Jan. 22. Barak would rather leave while on top, leaving the door open to a future return to politics.
Bernat Armangue / AP
Israel's military said it had accomplished its objectives while Hamas claimed victory after the two sides exchanged deadly airstrikes and rocket attacks for over a week.
Barak came out of last week’s mini-war with Hamas in Gaza looking good. He was seen as the restraining hand, the responsible adult, in Israel’s leadership trio of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman and himself as defense minister. Israel set modest goals and achieved them with minimal loss of life at home.
After 8 days of Gaza violence, Israel declares mission accomplished, Hamas claims victory
So why retire now? The answer is that the announcement came as a surprise and it is too early to know.
One thing is for sure -- few here think he means it.
Martin Fletcher is the author of "The List", "Breaking News" and "Walking Israel".
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The sudden departure of Barak during these very difficult times doesn't seem to make sense. As he has been a stabilizing force for his people for decades. I can't imagine him coming back though or switching to another position, for his personality isn't the rash type. He may be looking to take care of personal family matters perhaps after this newest show of force between Israel and Hamas with fragile peace, and Iran's growing threat to nuclear power. After all, he is seventy, and there also may be health issues he has kept secret.
This article is a hit job on Barak and a poor one for that matter.
This guy is an absolute murderer. I mean he's killed with his own hands before. Google Dala Moghrabi or even Kamal Nasser to see what a disgusting guy this animal is.
Death by decapitation or some horrible method would be too easy for this moron. He needs to live longer to face his victims families. Never forget and never forgive.
Oh by the way he is a total political loser and a terrible military guy to boot. This is proof. The only thing is that these scumbags ususally come back .... He might even become israel's president. That whole gang of thieves and murderers will be at home together before the good lord. I can hope can't I ?
Conrad - while your idiocy is clearly beyond repair, I just want to point out that Ehud Barak was not even physically present in Israel at the time of the massacre Dala Moghrabi perpetrated.
Show me an Israeli politician that isn't a mass murderer and war criminal!
I guess it's ok for the muslims to lop off heads....
"Barak has already earned considerable wealth through lectures and business consulting, and has a reputation among Israelis for enjoying the high life."
Most of the Israeli politicians in the beginning were patriots and more of socialist types!
Hope Israelis remember about the greatest "man": Mrs Golda Meir (my hero) and her life style (still a model for a politician)!
Barak's case appears to be a change.
Business consulting is a dubious business. One is not surprised if "business consulting" is the reason for Barak's focus on Iranian nukes.
Isreali leaders should know that Iran can easily get nukes from Pakis any day!
Israel should keep away from Syria and Iran.
Jewish lobby in the US should force the US, British and others to remove sanctions of Iranian oil to weaken the new most dangerous enemy No. 1, Sunnis Saudis and their fronts Hamas on one side and Morsi and his MB in Egypt.
Remove Hamas from Gaza immediately while Shiits and Sunnis are battling. However try to keep media focus on Syria and Iran.
So not many will notice cleaning of Hamas in Gaza.
'Ol lesbian Golda-Mier-Myerson was your hero, huh?
I'll be!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(Actually, I always thought she was a transvestite like Ann Coulter, jajaja).
TheAZCowBoy ..: I don't have problems with gays and lesbians. Some times, straight people are worse than beasts!
His party is going down in flames. Public sentiment has been rising steadily against him for years and he's been a thorn in Bibi's side, ever since he made the mistake of keeping him as defense minister. He may be thoroughly incompetent, like most self-agrandizing politicians, but he's not stupid. He's getting out, while the getting is good. Good Riddance. Israel is already better off just knowing he's leaving. Now there's only one barack left on the world stage that needs to GO! Sooner rather than later. Four more years? We'll see.
Don't go Barak. Oh, please don't go! We want all you Knesset killers in the same cauldron of simmering evil when Ahmadinejad drops the BIG ONE on that 1/2 acre of Zionist hell, maybe in as little as 9 months, leaving a smoultering hole where Tel Aviv 'used' to be!
Viva Palestina!
"Iremos a matar a los the 'desgraciados' Judios!"
AZZCowboy.
You're a pig, and no one is fooled by your antisemitic rant. I hope you enjoy speaking Arabic, because they won't speak Spanish to you if Iran gets its way. They don't like Christians anymore than Jews.
And the word is smoldering, but you would know that if your mother hadn't slept with your uncle and conceived you.
Don't your people have enough problems without interjecting into politics half a world away?
Mierda venezolano quedate con Chaves y amalo lo mismo que amas a los criminales arabes llamados palestinos
Translated, this means
PLEASE tell me this @!$%# got banned!
to AZcowp-----r
you really ought to consider not drinking battery acid for breakfast! And a pleasant good morning to all the haters on this blog.
He's going to work as CEO of an illegal trade Isreali cartel, human sex slave smuggling ring, or something else that profits from evil. An awful thug of a man is he.
lib BS
Gee!! It's about a dude retiring at 70 years old. (I can see that.)