Political drama • Ehud Barak dropped a bomb: quitting politics

"Israel has not had an easy time in the past two weeks, and I'm proud of the right to be a major partner in the military team and political negotiating of the operation and its successful completion. 47 years ago I joined the army and since then I have served the people of Israel as best as I could."

"Today I'm here to tell you that I am retiring from political life. I have made the decision without any misgivings but wholeheartedly. I will lie if I say the warm attitude I received from the public and the press did not please me. Practically I will finish the job as defense minister in about 3 months with the formation of the new government."
Defense Minister Ehud Barak made his statement in a dramatic press conference. In order to deliver the message to the press Barak canceled a planned military agenda this morning.

For many months the welfare assessment of the political system says that Barak would prefer armor in one of the major parties rather than running independently as head of Atzmaut Party. Barak held talks in recent weeks with Tzipi Livni. However, Livni's associates were surprised this morning with the announcement of the declaration that Barak is expected to deliver.

Atzmaut Party issued a statement yesterday denying reports that Barak is expected to be armored in Yisrael Beiteinu - and in this way integrated into the Beitenu Likud list for the 19th Knesset.

During this past week there was increased public support for Barak, after surveys showed that most of the public was satisfied with his performance in 'pillar of defense'. Before the operation, polls did not predict good for the party when she barely scraped the threshold and in other surveys did not pass the threshold at all. However, as expected, after the operation the improvement of the party continued in the polls, and surveys conducted during the weekend the party passed the threshold and received four mandates.

'בחדרי' גם ברשתות החברתיות - הצטרפו!