View source for Ehud Barak

{{Short description|Prime Minister of Israel from 1999 to 2001}}
{{pp-extended|small=yes}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name                = Ehud Barak
| birthname           = Ehud Brog
| image               = Ehud Barak official portrait 1999.jpg
| caption             = Official portrait, 1999
| office              = [[Prime Minister of Israel]]
| term_start          = 6 July 1999
| term_end            = 7 March 2001
| president           = [[Ezer Weizman]]<br />[[Moshe Katsav]]
| deputy              = [[Yitzhak Mordechai]]<br />[[David Levy (Israeli politician)|David Levy]]<br />[[Binyamin Ben-Eliezer]]
| predecessor         = [[Benjamin Netanyahu]]
| successor           = [[Ariel Sharon]]
| office2             = [[Ministry of Defense (Israel)|Minister of Defense]]
| primeminister2      = [[Ehud Olmert]]<br />[[Benjamin Netanyahu]]
| term_start2         = 18 June 2007
| term_end2           = 18 March 2013
| deputy2             = [[Matan Vilnai]]
| predecessor2        = [[Amir Peretz]]
| successor2          = [[Moshe Ya'alon]]
| term_start3         = 6 July 1999
| term_end3           = 7 March 2001
| primeminister3      = ''Himself''
| deputy3             = [[Efraim Sneh]]
| predecessor3        = [[Moshe Arens]]
| successor3          = [[Binyamin Ben-Eliezer]]
| office4             = [[Minister of Foreign Affairs of Israel|Minister of Foreign Affairs]]
| term_start4         = 22 November 1995
| term_end4           = 18 June 1996
| primeminister4      = [[Shimon Peres]]
| deputy4             = [[Eli Dayan]]
| predecessor4        = Shimon Peres
| successor4          = [[David Levy (Israeli politician)|David Levy]]
| office5             = [[Chief of General Staff (Israel)|Chief of General Staff]]
| term_start5         = 1 April 1991
| term_end5           = 1 January 1995
| president5          = [[Chaim Herzog]]<br />[[Ezer Weizman]]
| primeminister5      = [[Yitzhak Shamir]]<br />[[Yitzhak Rabin]]
| 1blankname5         = [[Ministry of Defense (Israel)|Minister]]
| 1namedata5          = [[Moshe Arens]]<br />Yitzhak Rabin
| deputy5             = [[Amnon Lipkin-Shahak]]<br />[[Matan Vilnai]]
| predecessor5        = [[Dan Shomron]]
| successor5          = [[Amnon Lipkin-Shahak]]
| birth_date          = {{birth date and age|1942|2|12|df=y}}
| birth_place         = [[Mishmar HaSharon]],<br />[[Mandatory Palestine]]
| party               = [[Israel Democratic Party|Israel Democratic]]
| otherparty          = [[Israeli Labor Party|Labor Party]] (until 2011)<br />[[Independence (Israeli political party)|Independence]] (2011–2012)<br/>[[Independent politician|Independent]] (2012–2019)
| spouse              = {{ubl|{{marriage|[[Nava Barak-Singer|Nava Cohen]]|1968|2003|end=div}}|{{marriage|Nili Priel|2007}}}}
| children            = 3
| education           = [[Hebrew University of Jerusalem]] ([[Bachelor of Science|BSc]])<br />[[Stanford University]] ([[Master of Science|MS]])
| profession          = [[Officer (armed forces)|Military officer]]
| signature           = Ehud Barak signature.svg
| branch              = [[Israel Defense Forces|Israeli Defense Forces]]
| branch_label        = Branch
| rank                = [[Rav Aluf]] (Lieutenant general)
| unit                = [[Sayeret Matkal]]
| commands            = [[Chief of General Staff (Israel)|Chief of General Staff]]<br />[[Chief of General Staff (Israel)|Deputy Chief of General Staff]]<br />[[Central Command (Israel)|Central Command]]<br />[[Military Intelligence Directorate (Israel)|{{nobr|Military Intelligence Directorate}}]]<br />[[Sayeret Matkal]]
| serviceyears        = 1959–1995
| serviceyears_label  = Service&nbsp;years
| battles             = [[Six-Day War]]<br />[[Yom Kippur War]]<br />[[Entebbe raid]]
| battles_label       = Wars / operations
| awards              = {{ubil|{{nobr|[[Medal of Distinguished Service]]}}|[[Israeli military decorations|Tzalash (4)]]|[[Legion of Merit]]|[[Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service|DoD Medal for Distinguished Public Service]]}}
| native_name_lang    = he
| native_name         = {{nobold|אֵהוּד בָּרָק}}
}}

'''Ehud Barak''' ({{langx|he|אֵהוּד בָּרָק}} {{IPA|he|eˈhud baˈʁak||Ehud_barak.ogg|link=yes}}; born '''Ehud Brog'''; 12 February 1942) is an Israeli former general and politician who served as the [[Prime Minister of Israel|prime minister]] and [[Minister of Defense (Israel)|Minister of Defense]] from 1999 to 2001. He was leader of the [[Israeli Labor Party|Labor Party]] between 1997 and 2001 and between 2007 and 2011. He was also Minister of Defense from 2007 to 2013.<ref name="brit1">{{cite news |title=Ehud Barak &#124; Biography & Facts &#124; Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Ehud-Barak}}</ref>

Born on a [[kibbutz]], Barak is the eldest of four sons; his maternal grandparents were murdered in [[the Holocaust]]. He graduated in physics and mathematics from the [[Hebrew University of Jerusalem]] and later obtained a master's in engineering-economic systems from [[Stanford University]].

Barak's military career in the [[Israel Defense Forces]] (IDF) began in 1959, spanning 35 years and culminating in his appointment as [[Chief of the General Staff (Israel)|Chief of the General Staff]] in 1991, serving until 1995. His military tenure is noted for his leadership in several operations, including "[[Operation Isotope]]" in 1972, the covert [[1973 Israeli raid in Lebanon]], and the 1976 [[Entebbe raid]]. A [[Rav Aluf|lieutenant general]], Barak shares with two others the honor of being the most highly decorated [[soldier]] in Israel's history.

In politics, his career began with his appointment as [[Ministry of Interior (Israel)|interior minister]] in 1995 under Prime Minister [[Yitzhak Rabin]]. Following Rabin's assassination, he served as Minister of Foreign Affairs in [[Shimon Peres]]' government. Barak was elected to the Knesset on the Labor Party list in 1996 and subsequently was elected Labor Party leader [[1997 Israeli Labor Party leadership election|in 1997]]. Barak served as Israel's most recent left-wing Prime Minister from 1999 to 2001. His tenure was marked by significant events, including the decision to form a coalition with the Orthodox party [[Shas]], the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Southern Lebanon in 2000, and participation in the [[2000 Camp David Summit]] aimed at resolving the Israeli–Palestinian conflict. Barak's government faced challenges, notably the [[October 2000 protests in Israel|protests in October 2000]].

After defeat in the [[2001 Israeli prime ministerial election]], he left politics and engaged in international business and advisory roles. He made a political comeback in 2005, attempting to regain leadership in the Labor Party, and later served as [[Ministry of Defense (Israel)|defense minister]] − where he led [[Operation Cast Lead]] in 2008–09 − and [[Deputy leaders of Israel#Deputy Prime Minister|deputy prime minister]] under [[Ehud Olmert]] and then in [[Benjamin Netanyahu]]'s second [[Cabinet of Israel|government]] between 2007 and 2013. His decision to form the Independence party in 2011 marked a shift in his politics, influencing the dynamics within the Netanyahu government. Despite retiring from politics in 2012, he attempted another comeback, running in the [[September 2019 Israeli legislative election]] as the leader of [[Israel Democratic Party]] − a new party he formed. His party merged with others to form an alliance called [[Democratic Union (Israel)|the Democratic Union]], but it did not win enough seats for him to become a member of the [[Knesset]].<ref name=toi>{{cite news|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/declaring-netanyahus-time-as-up-ehud-barak-announces-formation-of-new-party/|title=Declaring Netanyahu's time as up, Ehud Barak announces formation of new party|date=26 June 2019|access-date=29 June 2019|author=Jacob Magid|work=[[The Times of Israel]]}}</ref> Outside of his political and military career, Barak has accumulated wealth through business endeavors and investments; his net worth is estimated to be $10–15 million.

==Early life and family==
[[File:EHUD BARAK - FAMILY.jpg|thumb|left|Barak (behind, second from left) with his family in 1964]]
Ehud Barak was born on [[kibbutz]] [[Mishmar HaSharon]] in what was then [[Mandatory Palestine]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Warrior, Military Strategist and Peacemaker |url=https://www.achievement.org/achiever/ehud-barak/#interview |access-date=3 April 2019 |work=Academy of Achievement |date=4 May 2001}}</ref> He is the eldest of four sons of Esther (née Godin; 25 June 1914 – 12 August 2013) and Yisrael Mendel Brog (24 August 1910 – 8 February 2002).{{citation needed|date=October 2023}}

His paternal grandparents, Frieda and Reuven Brog, were murdered in [[Pušalotas]] (Pushelat) in northern [[Lithuania]] (then ruled by the [[Russian Empire]]) in 1912, leaving his father orphaned at the age of two. Barak's maternal grandparents, Elka and Shmuel Godin, died at the [[Treblinka extermination camp]] during [[the Holocaust]].<ref>[https://news.un.org/en/story/2011/02/366432 At special ceremony, UN pays tribute to victims of Holocaust ''UN News'' 10 February 2011]</ref>

Ehud [[Hebraization of surnames|hebraized]] his family name from "Brog" to "Barak" in 1972. It was during his military service that he met his future wife, [[Nava Barak-Singer|Nava]] (née Cohen, born 8 April 1947 in [[Tiberias]]). They had three daughters together: Michal (born 9 August 1970), Yael (born 23 October 1974) and Anat (born 16 October 1981). He has grandchildren.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mako.co.il/weekend-articles/Article-aa3dd3bda2b2441006.htm|title=טייקון בהתהוות: איך זה שלאהוד ברק יש כל כך הרבה כסף?|date=13 February 2014}}</ref> Barak divorced Nava in August 2003. On 30 July 2007, Barak married Nili Priel (born 25 April 1944) in a small ceremony in his private residence. In his spare time, Barak enjoys reading works by writers such as [[Johann Wolfgang von Goethe]],<ref>{{cite web|last=Weitz |first=Gidi |date=9 May 2011 |url=https://www.haaretz.com/weekend/week-s-end/peace-politics-and-patek-philippe-an-interview-with-ehud-barak-1.360701 |title=Peace, politics, and Patek Philippe: An interview with Ehud Barak |newspaper=[[Haaretz]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131127123751/http://www.haaretz.com/weekend/week-s-end/peace-politics-and-patek-philippe-an-interview-with-ehud-barak-1.360701|archive-date=27 November 2013 |url-status=live |access-date=14 March 2013}}</ref> and he is a classical pianist, with many years of study behind him. His second cousin, [[Ronald Barak]], is an American Olympic gymnast.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://gould.usc.edu/news/legal-gymnastics-spotlight-on-ron-barak-64-jd-68/ |title=Legal Gymnastics: Spotlight on Ron Barak ('64, JD '68) |last=Krieger |first=Diane |date=December 12, 2022 |website=usc.edu |access-date=June 10, 2025}}</ref>

Barak earned his [[bachelor's degree]] in [[physics]] and [[mathematics]] from the [[Hebrew University of Jerusalem]] in 1968, and his master's degree in engineering-economic systems in 1978 from [[Stanford University]], [[California]].{{citation needed|date=October 2023}}

==Military career==
[[File:Ehud Barak military.jpg|thumb|left|Ehud Barak as Chief of Staff of the [[Israel Defense Forces]]]]
[[File:Ehud Barak Ribbons.png|thumb|right|233px|Citations and war ribbons of Ehud Barak]]
Barak joined the [[Israel Defense Forces]] (IDF) in 1959. He served in the IDF for 35 years, rising to the position of [[Chief of General Staff (Israel)|Chief of the General Staff]] and the rank of ''[[Rav Aluf]]'' (Lieutenant-General), the highest in the Israeli military.
During his service as a commando in the elite [[Sayeret Matkal]], Barak led several highly acclaimed operations, such as: "Operation Isotope", the mission to free the hostages on board the hijacked [[Sabena Flight 571]] at Lod Airport in 1972; the covert [[1973 Israeli raid in Lebanon]] in Beirut, in which he was disguised as a woman to kill members of the [[Palestine Liberation Organization]]; Barak was also a key architect of the June 1976 [[Entebbe raid]], another rescue mission to free the hostages of the [[Air France]] aircraft hijacked by terrorists and forced to land at the [[Entebbe Airport]] in Uganda. These highly acclaimed operations, along with [[Operation Wrath of God|Operation Bayonet]], led to the dismantling of Palestinian terrorist cell [[Black September (group)|Black September]]. It has been alluded that Barak also masterminded the [[Khalil al-Wazir#Assassination|Tunis Raid]] on 16 April 1988, in which PLO leader [[Abu Jihad]] was killed.<ref>{{cite news|work=[[BBC News]] |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8488249.stm |title=Long history of Israel's 'covert killing' |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100201065627/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8488249.stm |archive-date=1 February 2010 |date=29 January 2010 |url-status=live}}</ref>

During the [[Yom Kippur War]], Barak commanded an improvised regiment of tanks which, among other things, helped rescue paratrooper battalion 890, commanded by [[Yitzhak Mordechai]], which was suffering heavy losses in the [[Battle of the Chinese Farm]]. He went on to command the [[401st Brigade (IDF)|401st armored brigade]] and the 611st "Pillar of Fire" and [[Sinai Division|252nd "Sinai"]] divisions, before his appointment to head the IDF's [[Planning Directorate]]. Barak also participated in the [[Siege of Beirut]], overseeing it from [[Beirut–Rafic Hariri International Airport|Beirut International Airport.]]
Barak later served as head of Aman, the [[Military Intelligence Directorate (Israel)|Military Intelligence Directorate]] (1983–85), head of [[Central Command (Israel)|Central Command]] (1986–87) and Deputy Chief of the General Staff (1987–91). He served as [[Chief of General Staff (Israel)|Chief of the General Staff]] between 1 April 1991 and 1 January 1995. During this period he implemented the first [[Oslo Accords]] and participated in the negotiations towards the [[Israel–Jordan peace treaty]].

Barak was awarded the [[Medal of Distinguished Service]] and four Chief of Staff citations (''Tzalash HaRamatkal'') for courage and operational excellence.<ref>Gal Perl Finkel, [https://www.jpost.com/Opinion/Dont-throw-out-the-baby-with-the-bath-water-564453 Don’t throw out the baby with the bath water], [[The Jerusalem Post]], 9 August 2018.</ref> These five decorations make him the most decorated soldier in Israeli history (jointly with close friend [[Nechemya Cohen]]).<ref>Offer Drori, [htMajor Amitai Hasontp://www.global-report.com/drori/a342512-גיבורי-ישראל-מרובי-העיטורים-צדק-היסטורי גיבורי ישראל מרובי העיטורים – צדק היסטורי], 4 February 2009 (Hebrew) {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121013074728/http://www.global-report.com/drori/a342512-%D7%92%D7%99%D7%91%D7%95%D7%A8%D7%99-%D7%99%D7%A9%D7%A8%D7%90%D7%9C-%D7%9E%D7%A8%D7%95%D7%91%D7%99-%D7%94%D7%A2%D7%99%D7%98%D7%95%D7%A8%D7%99%D7%9D-%D7%A6%D7%93%D7%A7-%D7%94%D7%99%D7%A1%D7%98%D7%95%D7%A8%D7%99 |date=13 October 2012 }}</ref> In 1992 he was awarded the [[Legion of Merit]] (Commander) by the United States.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20120314230336/http://www.dodmedia.osd.mil/DVIC_View/Still_Details.cfm?SDAN=DDSC0725582&JPGPath=%2FAssets%2FStill%2F2007%2FDoD%2FDD-SC-07-25582.JPG An image of Barak receiving the award] on 14 January 1993 in [[the Pentagon]]. Note that according to IDF regulations foreign medals are not worn on the uniform.</ref> In 2012, he was again awarded by the United States with the [[Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service]].<ref>{{cite web|access-date=14 March 2013 |url=http://blogs.defensenews.com/intercepts/2012/11/photo-of-the-day-nov-30-2012-panetta-barak-hug-it-out-edition/ |title=Photo of the Day: Nov. 30, 2012 (Panetta, Barak Hug it Out Edition) |work=[[Defense News]] |date=30 November 2012 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130121093751/http://blogs.defensenews.com/intercepts/2012/11/photo-of-the-day-nov-30-2012-panetta-barak-hug-it-out-edition/ |archive-date=21 January 2013 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Political career==
On 7 July 1995, Barak was appointed [[Ministry of Interior (Israel)|Minister of Internal Affairs]] by [[Yitzhak Rabin]]. When [[Shimon Peres]] formed a new government following Rabin's assassination in November 1995, Barak was made [[Foreign Affairs Minister of Israel|Minister of Foreign Affairs]] (1995–96).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mfa.gov.il/mfa/mfa-archive/1996/pages/fm%20barak-%20address%20to%20njcrac%20-%20feb%2011-%201996.aspx |title=FM Barak – Address to NJCRAC |publisher=Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs |date=11 February 1996 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304073341/http://www.mfa.gov.il/mfa/mfa-archive/1996/pages/fm%20barak-%20address%20to%20njcrac%20-%20feb%2011-%201996.aspx |archive-date=4 March 2016}}</ref> He was elected to [[the Knesset]] on the Labor Party list in [[1996 Israeli legislative election|1996]], and served as a member of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee. In a party leadership election held after Peres' defeat in the [[1996 Israeli prime ministerial election|1996 election for Prime Minister]], Barak was elected leader of the Labor Party [[1997 Israeli Labor Party leadership election|in June 1997]].

===Prime Minister of Israel===
[[File:Barak pentagon 1999.jpg|thumb|233px|right|Barak at the [[The Pentagon|Pentagon]] (1999)]] 
[[File:President Bill Clinton with Prime Minister Ehud Barak of Israel and Chairman Yasser Arafat of the Palestinian Authority.jpg|thumb|233px|right|Ehud Barak shaking hands with [[Yasser Arafat]], joined by President [[Bill Clinton]] (1999)]]

In the [[1999 Israeli prime ministerial election|1999 Prime Ministerial election]], Barak beat [[Benjamin Netanyahu]] by a wide margin. However, he sparked controversy by deciding to form a coalition with the ultra-Orthodox party [[Shas]], who had won an unprecedented 17 seats in the 120-seat [[Knesset]]. Shas grudgingly agreed to Barak's terms that they eject their leader [[Aryeh Deri]], a convicted felon, and enact reform to "clean up" in-party corruption. Consequentially, the left wing [[Meretz]] party quit the coalition after they failed to agree on the powers to be given to a Shas deputy minister in the Ministry of Education.{{citation needed|date=October 2023}}

In 1999 Barak gave a campaign promise to end Israel's 22-year-long occupation of [[Southern Lebanon]] within a year. On 24 May 2000 Israel [[Blue Line (Lebanon)|withdrew]] from Southern Lebanon. On 7 October, three Israeli soldiers were killed in a border raid by [[Hezbollah]] and their bodies were subsequently captured. The bodies of these soldiers, along with the living Elhanan Tenenbaum, were eventually exchanged for Lebanese captives in 2004.{{citation needed|date=October 2023}}

The Barak government resumed peace negotiations with the [[PLO]], stating that "Every attempt [by the State of Israel] to keep hold of this area [the West Bank and Gaza] as one political entity leads, necessarily, to either a nondemocratic or a non-Jewish state. Because if the Palestinians vote, then it is a [[binational state]], and if they don't vote it is an [[apartheid state]]."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/13/opinion/dont-give-up-on-mideast-peace.html |author=[[Jimmy Carter]] |title=Don't Give Up on Mideast Peace |newspaper=International Herald Tribune |date=12 April 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120415235950/http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/13/opinion/dont-give-up-on-mideast-peace.html |archive-date=15 April 2012 }}</ref> As part of these negotiations, Barak took part in the [[Camp David 2000 Summit]] which was meant finally to resolve the [[Israeli–Palestinian conflict]] but failed. Barak also allowed Foreign Minister [[Shlomo Ben-Ami]] to attend the [[Taba Summit]] with the leadership of the [[Palestinian Authority]], after his government had fallen.{{citation needed|date=October 2023}}

===Domestic issues===
On 22 August 1999, Barak appointed the [[Tal committee]] which dealt with the controversial issue of ultra-Orthodox Jews' exemption from military service.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.knesset.gov.il/docs/heb/tal.htm |script-title=he:הועדה לגבוש ההסדר הראוי בנושא גיוס בני ישיבות − דו"ח |trans-title=The Committee to Formulate the Proper Arrangement Regarding the Enlistment of Yeshiva Students − Report |language=he |access-date=13 April 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121003022722/https://www.knesset.gov.il/docs/heb/tal.htm |archive-date=3 October 2012 |url-status=live}}</ref> Following the failure of the Camp David summit with Arafat and Bill Clinton in the summer of 2000, when the original seven-year mandate of the PNA expired, and just after Israel pulled its last troops out of southern Lebanon in May 2000, the [[October 2000 events|October 2000 riots]] led to the killing of twelve Israeli Arabs and one Palestinian by [[Israel Police]] and one Jewish civilian by Israeli Arabs.{{citation needed|date=October 2023}}

=== Resignation ===
In 2001, Barak called [[2001 Israeli prime ministerial election|an election for Prime Minister]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Staff |date=2001-02-06 |title=Barak concedes defeat |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2001/feb/06/israel6 |access-date=2024-02-06 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> In the contest, he was defeated by Likud leader [[Ariel Sharon]], and subsequently resigned as Labor leader and from the Knesset.

===In private life (2001-2007)===
Barak left Israel to work as a senior advisor with United States–based [[Electronic Data Systems]]. He also partnered with a private equity company focused on "security-related" work.{{cn|date=September 2025}}

In 2005, Barak announced his return to Israeli politics, and ran for leadership of the Labor Party in [[2005 Israeli Labor Party leadership election|November]]. However, in light of his weak poll showings, Barak dropped out of the race early and declared his support for veteran statesman [[Shimon Peres]]. Following his failed attempt to maintain leadership of the Labor party, Barak became a partner of the Pennsylvania-based investment company [[SCP Private Equity Partners]]. He also established a company "Ehud Barak Limited" which is thought to have made over [[Israeli new sheqel|NIS]] 30 million.<ref>{{cite web|last=Blau |first=Uri |access-date=14 March 2013 |url=https://www.haaretz.com/weekend/magazine/ehud-barak-ltd-1.221318 |title=Ehud Barak Ltd |newspaper=Haaretz Daily Newspaper |date=24 May 2007 |archive-date=11 March 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140311113557/http://www.haaretz.com/weekend/magazine/ehud-barak-ltd-1.221318}}</ref>

After Peres lost the race to [[Amir Peretz]] and left the Labor party, Barak announced he would stay at the party, despite his shaky relationship with its newly elected leader. He declared, however, that he would not run for a spot on the Labor party's [[Knesset]] list for the [[2006 Israel legislative election|March 2006 elections]]. Barak's attempt to return to a prominent role in Israel politics seemed to have failed. However, Peretz's hold on the Labor leadership proved unexpectedly shaky as he was badly damaged by negative views of his performance as Defense Minister during the [[2006 Lebanon War]], which was seen as something less than a success in Israel.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.kuwaittimes.net/read_news.php?newsid=MTA3OTE5NjI0NA |title=Kadima nominates Peres for president |work=Kuwait Times }}{{dead link|date=June 2016|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>

===Return to politics===
[[File:Flickr - Israel Defense Forces - Prime Minister and Defense Minister at Weaponry Display.jpg|thumb|233px|right|[[Ministry of Defense (Israel)|Israeli Minister of Defense]] Ehud Barak, with Prime Minister [[Benjamin Netanyahu]] after the [[Victoria Affair]], March 2011]]
In [[2007 Israeli Labor Party leadership election|January 2007]], Barak launched a bid to recapture the leadership of the Labor party in a letter acknowledging "mistakes" and "inexperience" during his tenure as prime minister.<ref>{{cite news|work=[[Reuters]] |url=http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-israel-barak-idUKL0776362420070107 |title=Former Israeli PM Barak in New Leadership Bid |date=7 January 2007 |archive-date=17 October 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121017131657/http://uk.reuters.com/article/2007/01/07/uk-israel-barak-idUKL0776362420070107}}</ref> In early March 2007, a poll of Labor Party primary voters put Barak ahead of all other opponents, including Peretz.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.haaretz.com/news/poll-barak-ayalon-lead-peretz-in-the-labor-leadership-primaries-1.214656 |title=Poll: Barak, Ayalon lead Peretz in the Labor leadership primaries |author=Yossi Verter |newspaper=Haaretz |date=3 March 2007 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120908202019/http://www.haaretz.com/news/poll-barak-ayalon-lead-peretz-in-the-labor-leadership-primaries-1.214656 |archive-date=8 September 2012 |url-status=live |access-date=22 September 2016}}</ref> In the first round of voting, on 28 May 2007, he gained 39% of the votes, more than his two closest rivals, but not enough to win the election.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/6695007.stm |title=Peretz loses Israeli party vote |access-date=30 May 2007 |work=BBC News |date=3 January 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140422234256/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/6695007.stm |archive-date=22 April 2014 |url-status=live}}</ref>

As a result, Barak faced a runoff against the second-place finisher, [[Ami Ayalon]], on 12 June 2007, which he won by a narrow margin.<ref>{{cite news|title=Barak wins Labor Party primary election: party officials|newspaper=[[International Herald Tribune]]|date=12 June 2007}}</ref>

Barak has been critical of what he sees as racist sentiments [[December 2010 Rabbi Letter Controversies|that have recently been expressed by]] some Israeli [[rabbi]]s and [[rebbetzin]]s; he views such statements as a threat to Israeli unity and that they may lead Israeli society into a "dark and dangerous place".<ref name=rabbis>{{cite news|newspaper=Haaretz |access-date=1 January 2011 |date=29 December 2010 |url=https://www.haaretz.com/news/national/barak-anti-arab-letters-by-rabbis-and-rabbis-wives-leading-israel-into-dark-place-1.334093 |title=Barak: Anti-Arab letters by rabbis and rabbis' wives leading Israel into dark place |first=Mazal |last=Mualem |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110101124410/http://www.haaretz.com/news/national/barak-anti-arab-letters-by-rabbis-and-rabbis-wives-leading-israel-into-dark-place-1.334093 |archive-date=1 January 2011 |url-status=live}}</ref>

====Defense Minister and head of Ha'Avoda (2007-2011)====
[[File:Barak - Rice 2007 08 01 israel3 600.jpg|thumb|233px|right|Ehud Barak and [[Condoleezza Rice]] (2007)]]

After winning back the leadership of the Labor party, Barak was sworn in as [[Ministry of Defense (Israel)|Minister of Defense]] on 18 June 2007, as part of Prime Minister [[Ehud Olmert|Olmert]]'s cabinet reshuffle. However, on 1 July 2007, Barak led a successful effort in the Labor central committee to stipulate that Labor would leave the government coalition if Olmert did not resign by September or October 2007. The [[Winograd Commission]] would publish its final report on the performance of the [[Israel Defense Forces]] and its civilian leadership. The preliminary Winograd report, released in early 2007, laid most of the blame on Olmert for poorly planning, executing, and reviewing war strategies in the [[2006 Lebanon War|2006 conflict]] against [[Hezbollah]].<ref>{{cite news|last1=Harel|first1=Amos|title=Remember the Second Lebanon War|url=https://www.haaretz.com/weekend/week-s-end/remember-the-second-lebanon-war-1.450891|newspaper=Haaretz|publisher=Haaretz Daily Newspaper Ltd}}</ref>

From December 2008 to January 2009, Barak led the [[Israel Defense Forces]] through [[Gaza War (2008–09)|Operation Cast Lead]] in his capacity as Minister of Defence.<ref>{{cite web|title= Report of the United Nations Fact Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict|publisher=United Nations Human Rights Council|url=https://image.guardian.co.uk/sys-files/Guardian/documents/2009/09/15/UNFFMGCReport.pdf|access-date=13 July 2014|page=106|date=15 September 2009}}</ref>

Labor won only 13 out of the 120 Knesset seats in the [[2009 Israeli legislative election|2009 elections]], making them the fourth largest party. Barak and other Labor officials initially stated they would not take part in the next government. However, over the objections of some in the Labor party, in March 2009, Barak reached an agreement under which Labor joined the governing coalition led by [[Benjamin Netanyahu]]. Barak retained his position as Defense Minister.

====Leaving Ha'Avoda and Minister of Defense (2011-2013)====
In January 2011, Labor Party leader Barak formed a breakaway party, [[Independence (Israeli political party)|Independence]], which enabled him to maintain his loyal Labor's MK faction within Netanyahu's government, and prevented the departure of Labor party as a whole from Netanyahu's coalition-government. Labor previously threatened to force Barak to do so. After Barak's move, Netanyahu was able to maintain a majority of 66 MK (out of 120 in the [[Knesset]]), previously having 74 MKs within his majority coalition.

In February 2011, Barak attended a ceremony at the UN for the International Day of Commemoration in memory of the victims of the Holocaust. Barak told the UN General Assembly that "an independent, strong, thriving and peaceful State of Israel is the vengeance of the dead."<ref name="jpost.com">{{cite web|newspaper=The Jerusalem Post |title=Barak at UN: Strong Israel is revenge of the Nazis' victims |url=https://www.jpost.com/JewishWorld/JewishNews/Article.aspx?id=207716 |author=Jordana Horn |date=10 February 2011 |access-date=10 February 2011 |archive-date=23 October 2012 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121023011146/http://www.jpost.com/JewishWorld/JewishNews/Article.aspx?id=207716}}</ref>

Barak's Independence party was due to run in a [[2013 Israeli legislative election|legislative election]], but decided not to in 2012, and retired from politics. Barak planned to quit since [[Operation Pillar of Defense]] but postponed it until later that year.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.israeltoday.co.il/NewsItem/tabid/178/nid/23525/Default.aspx?archive=article_title |author=Ryan Jones |title=Ehud Barak drops out of Israeli politics |newspaper=[[Israel HaYom|Israel Today]] |date=26 November 2012|url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131022133959/http://www.israeltoday.co.il/NewsItem/tabid/178/nid/23525/Default.aspx?archive=article_title |archive-date=22 October 2013}}</ref>

Barak stated during an American television interview that he would "probably" strive for nuclear weapons if he were in Iran's position, adding "I don't delude myself that they are doing it just because of Israel". This comment has been criticized and compared to Barak's comment in 1998 during a television interview when he said that if he were a Palestinian he would probably have joined one of the terror organizations.<ref>{{cite news|title=Barak criticized over Iran comments|first=Mark|last=Weiss|date=18 November 2011|newspaper=[[The Irish Times]] |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/premium/loginpage?destination=http://www.irishtimes.com/news/barak-criticised-over-iran-comments-1.13168}}</ref>

===Retirement activities===
In 2015, Barak invested in Reporty, a tech startup that developed video streaming and geolocation software and later changed its name to [[Carbyne (company)|Carbyne]]. A large portion of the funds invested by Barak was supplied by [[Jeffrey Epstein]].<ref name="TOI 19">{{cite news |title=Jeffrey Epstein was Ehud Barak's business partner as late as 2015 |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/jeffrey-epstein-was-ehud-baraks-business-partner-as-late-as-2015-report/ |access-date=19 July 2025 |work=[[The Times of Israel]] |date=11 July 2019 |issn=0040-7909}}</ref> For Epstein's 63rd birthday in 2016 a number of letters written for the occasion by high profile individuals were compiled as a birthday gift;<ref>{{Cite news |date=2025-08-05 |title=A Look Inside Jeffrey Epstein’s Manhattan Lair |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/05/us/jeffrey-epstein-mansion-photos.html |access-date=2025-11-19 |language=en}}</ref> among these were a letter from Barak and his wife.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Betts |first1=Anna |title=Epstein scandal broadens as trove of letters from famous figures published |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/aug/05/jeffrey-epstein-letters-photos |work=The Guardian}}</ref> In 2023, it was revealed that Barak had visited Epstein around 30 times from 2013 to 2017 and had also flown on his jet, having first met Epstein in 2003. Barak denied any wrongdoing.<ref name="TOI2">{{cite news |last1=ToI Staff |last2=JTA |author-link2=Jewish Telegraphic Agency |date=4 May 2023 |title=Ehud Barak met with Jeffrey Epstein dozens of times, flew on private plane — report |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/ehud-barak-met-with-jeffrey-epstein-dozens-of-times-flew-on-private-plane-report/ |work=[[The Times of Israel]] |issue= }}</ref><ref name="JTA">{{cite news |last1=Lapin |first1=Andrew |title=Noam Chomsky, Ehud Barak, Leon Botstein and a Rothschild are among the names on Jeffrey Epstein's newly uncovered calendar |url=https://www.jta.org/2023/05/01/united-states/noam-chomsky-ehud-barak-leon-botstein-and-a-rothschild-are-among-the-names-on-jeffrey-epsteins-newly-uncovered-calendar |access-date=19 July 2025 |work=Jewish Telegraphic Agency |date=1 May 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Noam Chomsky, Ehud Barak and Woody Allen all met with Epstein after conviction |url=https://www.thejc.com/news/world/noam-chomsky-ehud-barak-and-woody-allen-all-met-with-epstein-after-conviction-vocm1y6d |work=[[The Jewish Chronicle]] |date=2 May 2023}}</ref> Barak stated that on the two occasions he flew with Epstein on private planes, Barak's wife and security guards were with him.<ref name="TOI2"/> Leaked emails (released by the hacker group Handala, which "likely operates out of Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence", according to Reuters<ref>{{cite news |last1=A.J. |first1=Vicens |last2=Satter |first2=Raphael |title=Iran's hackers keep a low profile after Israeli and US strikes |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/irans-hackers-keep-low-profile-after-israeli-us-strikes-2025-06-27/ |date=27 June 2025}}</ref>) show that in one occasion when Barak visited Epstein's private island Little Saint James (in January 2014), Barak was "arranging that the security guys will not come with us to the island," but his wife Nili Priel did accompany him.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Thalen |first1=Mikael |title='Impressive island': Ex-Israeli prime minister's hacked emails reveal relationship with Jeffrey Epstein |url=https://san.com/cc/impressive-island-ex-israeli-prime-ministers-hacked-emails-reveal-relationship-with-jeffrey-epstein/ |work=Straight Arrow News |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250828080839/https://san.com/cc/impressive-island-ex-israeli-prime-ministers-hacked-emails-reveal-relationship-with-jeffrey-epstein/ |archive-date=28 August 2025}}</ref>

Other emails released by Handala show that Epstein leveraged his relationship with Barak to approach powerful figures like [[Peter Thiel]], a former director of Israeli signals intelligence, and two people in [[Vladimir Putin]]'s circle (former Russian Deputy Minister of Economic Development Sergey Belyakov and [[Viktor Vekselberg]]).<ref name="Reason">{{cite news |last1=Petti |first1=Matthew |title=Inside Jeffrey Epstein's spy industry connections |url=https://reason.com/2025/08/27/inside-jeffrey-epsteins-spy-industry-connections/?comments=true#comments |work=Reason.com |date=27 August 2025 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250828070230/https://reason.com/2025/08/27/inside-jeffrey-epsteins-spy-industry-connections/ |archive-date=28 August 2025}}</ref> Epstein arranged for Barak to meet Thiel (they had met once, in Davos), presumably to discuss geopolitics, in New York on 9 June 2014. In 2016, Epstein pitched Reporty to Thiel-founded [[Valar Ventures]] (in 2015 and 2016, Epstein invested US$40 million into funds managed by Valar <ref>{{cite news |last1=Goldstein |first1=Matthew |title=Jeffrey Epstein Invested With Peter Thiel, and His Estate Is Reaping Millions |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/04/business/jeffrey-epstein-peter-thiel-estate.html |date=4 June 2025 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250719182224/https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/04/business/jeffrey-epstein-peter-thiel-estate.html |archive-date=19 July 2025}}</ref>), but the proposal got rejected on account of being premature. Valar's McCormack said they would try to reengage when the startup was more developed though. In 2018, the [[Founders Fund]], another firm co-founded by Thiel, joined the $15 million Series B.<ref name="Reason"/> 

While scheduling the meeting with Thiel, Barak also tried to arrange to meet Putin's ally [[Viktor Vekselberg]] early in June 2014.<ref name="Reason"/> An email sent in April 2015 shows that Barak asked Epstein for his opinion on Vekselberg-backed Fifth Dimension, a startup which later shut down after being sanctioned in 2018 by the US for alleged election meddling.<ref name="Reason"/>  This startup's leadership also included [[Benny Gantz]] (former [[Israel Defense Forces]]' chief-of-staff) and [[Ram Ben-Barak]] (former deputy Mossad director).<ref>{{cite news |last1=Sadeh |first1=Shuki |title=How Putin's blacklisted oligarch friend is linked to key Israeli political players |url=https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2019-01-03/ty-article/.premium/how-putins-blacklisted-oligarch-friend-is-linked-to-key-israeli-political-players/0000017f-e27a-d9aa-afff-fb7a12b30000 |access-date=31 August 2025 |work=Haaretz.com |archive-url=https://archive.today/20220902014639/https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2019-01-03/ty-article/.premium/how-putins-blacklisted-oligarch-friend-is-linked-to-key-israeli-political-players/0000017f-e27a-d9aa-afff-fb7a12b30000 |archive-date=2 September 2022 |language=en}}</ref> 

Epstein victim [[Virginia Giuffre]] said that she had been sexually assaulted by Barak after being trafficked to him by Epstein. This came to light in a 2020 court filing by [[Alan Dershowitz]]. Dershowitz and Barak denied the validity of Giuffre's statement.<ref>{{cite web |title=Woman says Epstein forced her to have sex with former PM Barak |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/woman-says-epstein-forced-her-to-have-sex-with-former-pm-barak/ |website=timesofisrael.com |publisher=Times of Israel |access-date=19 October 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Jeffrey Epstein’s vast web of powerful friends |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/11/14/epstein-files-associates-names/ |website=The Washington Post |access-date=15 November 2025 |date=14 November 2025}}</ref>

====2019 failed return to political life====
On 26 June 2019, Barak announced his return to politics and his intention to form a new party named the [[Israel Democratic Party]], intending to challenge Netanyahu in the [[September 2019 Israeli legislative election]]. The party ran with Meretz and other parties in the [[Democratic Union (Israel)|Democratic Union]] alliance, which received five seats. Barak himself did not enter the Knesset.<ref name=toi/>

==Financial assets==
In an interview with ''[[Haaretz]]'' reported in January 2015, Barak was asked to explain the source of his "big" capital, with which he "bought 5 apartments and connected them," and by which he "lives in a giant rental apartment in a luxury high rise." Barak said he currently earns more than a $1 million a year, and that from 2001 to 2007, he also earned more than a $1 million every year, from giving lectures and from consulting for [[hedge fund]]s. Barak also said he made millions of dollars more from his investments in Israeli real estate properties.<ref name=Haaretz-2015-01-08 />

In the interview, Barak was asked whether he is a lobbyist who earns a living from "opening doors". The interviewer stated "You have arrived recently at the Kazakhstan despot [[Nursultan Nazarbayev|Nazarbayev]] and the president of [[Ghana]]. You are received immediately." Barak confirmed that he has been received by these heads of state but denied earning money from opening doors for international business deals for Israeli and foreign corporations, and said he does not see any ethical or moral problems in his business activities. He further said there is no logic to demand of him, after "the natural process in democracy has ended" to not utilize the tools he accumulated in his career to secure his financial future. When asked if his financial worth is $10–15 million, Barak said "I'm not far from there."<ref name=Haaretz-2015-01-08>[https://www.haaretz.co.il/magazine/.premium-1.2533408 Ehud Barak warns that Israel under Netanyahu is on the road to disaster] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160923115549/http://www.haaretz.co.il/magazine/.premium-1.2533408 |date=23 September 2016}} (8 January 2015), ''[[Haaretz]]''</ref>

==Awards and decorations==
{{BLP unreferenced section|date=October 2023}}
{| style="margin:1em auto;"
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|[[File:Zrm.svg|90px]]
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|-
|[[File:Zrm.svg|90px]]
|[[File:Zrm.svg|90px]]
|[[File:Zrm.svg|90px]]
|-
|[[File:Six day war ribbon.svg|90px]]
|[[File:Hatasharibon.svg|90px]]
|[[File:Yomkippurribon.svg|90px]]
|-
|[[File:Lebanon war ribbon.svg|90px]]
|[[File:Medal of Distinguished Service.svg|90px]]
|[[File:US Legion of Merit Commander ribbon.png|90px]]
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;"
|-
|
|[[Orders, decorations, and medals of Israel#Citations (Tzalash)|Chief of Staff Citation]]
|
|-
|[[Orders, decorations, and medals of Israel#Citations (Tzalash)|Chief of Staff Citation]]
|[[Orders, decorations, and medals of Israel#Citations (Tzalash)|Chief of Staff Citation]]
|[[Orders, decorations, and medals of Israel#Citations (Tzalash)|Chief of Staff Citation]]
|-
|[[Six-Day War]] Ribbon
|[[War of Attrition]] Ribbon
|[[Yom Kippur War]] Ribbon
|-
|[[1982 Lebanon War|First Lebanon War]] Ribbon
|[[Medal of Distinguished Service]]
|Commander of the [[Legion of Merit]]
|}

==See also==
{{Portal|Israel}}
* [[History of the Israel Defense Forces#List of Chiefs of the General Staff|List of Israel's Chiefs of the General Staff]]
* [[List of wartime cross-dressers]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Bibliography==
* [[Ahron Bregman|Bregman, Ahron]] ''Elusive Peace: How the Holy Land Defeated America''.
* Clinton, Bill (2005). ''My Life''. Vintage. {{ISBN|1-4000-3003-X}}.
* Dromi, Uri (5 November 2005). "Still craving peace 10 years after Rabin". ''[[New Straits Times]]'', p.&nbsp;20.

==External links==
{{Wikiquote}}
{{Commons category}}
* {{MKlink|id=28}}
* {{C-SPAN|43484}}
* {{Charlie Rose view|1169}}
* {{IMDb name|1383992}}
* {{Aljazeeratopic|person/ehud-barak}}
* {{EItopic|people/114.shtml}}
* {{JPosttopic|Ehud_Barak}}
* {{NYTtopic|people/b/ehud_barak}}
* [http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3418778,00.html Defense Minister Ehud Barak] at ''[[Ynetnews]]'', profile

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{{Succession box|title=[[Prime Minister of Israel]]|before=[[Benjamin Netanyahu]]|after=[[Ariel Sharon]]|years=1999–2001}}
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{{Succession box|before=[[Shimon Peres]]|title=Leader of the [[Labor Party (Israel)|Israeli Labor Party]]|years=1997–2001|after=[[Benjamin Ben-Eliezer]]}}
{{Succession box|before=[[Amir Peretz]]|title=Leader of the [[Labor Party (Israel)|Israeli Labor Party]]|years=2007–2011|after=[[Shelly Yachimovich]]}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Barak, Ehud}}
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