- Title: FILE: Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak says quitting politics
- Date: 26th November 2012
- Summary: TEL AVIV, ISRAEL (FILE, MAY 1999) (REUTERS) ISRAELIS CELEBRATING BARAK'S VICTORY IN RABIN SQUARE, NAKED MAN, WEARING POSTER OF BARAK, DANCING
- Embargoed: 11th December 2012 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Israel
- Country: Israel
- Topics: International Relations,Politics
- Reuters ID: LVAPXY2P2KS79U2VUIL8Y93MIQB
- Story Text: Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak, a main architect of Israel's policy towards Iran's nuclear programme, said in a surprise announcement on Monday (November 26) that he was quitting politics and would not run in the January 22 national election.
"Today I stand before you to share my decision to resign from political life and not to run in the coming election for Knesset. It was a decision taken not without difficulties but eventually whole-heartedly," Barak told a news conference in his Tel Aviv office, and added that he will end his term as defence minister once a new government is established, after January 22 elections.
Barak said he wanted to dedicate more time to his family and felt he had exhausted political life.
Opinion polls had predicted a poor showing for the small party that Barak currently leads, Atzmaut, but recently indicated voter support had strengthened as a result of Israel's eight-day offensive in the Gaza Strip that ended in a ceasefire on Wednesday (November 21).
Barak, 70, has been a key player in Israel's tough policy towards curbing Iran's nuclear ambitions and a pointman in the Jewish state's strategic relations with the United States.
He has been defence minister since 2007 and served as prime minister from 1999 to 2001.
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