Israel’s Ehud Barak Says He’s Leaving Politics
The Associated Press reports that Ehud Barak, a decorated Israeli military leader and one-time Israeli prime minster, plans on quitting politics after the general election on January 22. In contrast to the more hawkish Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Barak was a moderating voice, often serving as an unofficial envoy to Washington to mend rifts between Netanyahu and the White House. “His impending departure comes at a key time for Israel, as the nation struggles to find its way in a region where the old order of Arab autocrats has been swept aside by the Arab Spring and the rise of Islamist political parties,” reports the Associated Press.