EHUD BARAK RESIGNING FROM POLITICS

Well this must be quite a surprise for some: the most pretentious former military official of modern times has announced his resignation from political life:

Defense Minister Ehud Barak announced his resignation from political life on Monday, saying his final decision was delayed by Operation Pillar of Defense and hinting at the possibility of being appointed to his post again after the January election.

"Fifty-three years ago, I enlisted in the IDF, and since then I have served the country," Barak said at a press conference in the Defense Ministry in Tel Aviv.

"Today I announce my decision to leave political life and not run in the next election." Barak will remain Defense Minister until the next government is formed in January, after a total of seven-and-a-half nonconsecutive years in the post under three governments, including one led by Barak as prime minister.

This is the second time Barak is resigning from politics. The first followed his loss of the premiership to Ariel Sharon in 2001. In 2002, Barak went into business, becoming a multi-millionaire, and returned to politics five years later as defense minister under then-prime minister Ehud Olmert.

For many on the right, this'll be quite fine. He caused more than enough problems over the time he became a politician, including negotiations with the PLO, and most recently he did have a hand in causing the Pillar to be called off of a ground raid on Gaza before it could commence. Israel's political system could do well enough without him, and he won't be missed by many on the left either.