(1942-02-12) 12 February 1942 (age 82) Mishmar HaSharon, Mandatory Palestine
Political party
Israel Democratic Party
Other political affiliations
Labor Party (until 2011) Independence (2011–2012) Independent (2012–2019)
Spouses
Nava Cohen
(m. 1968; div. 2003)
Nili Priel
(m. 2007)
Children
3
Alma mater
Hebrew University of Jerusalem (BSc) Stanford University (MS)
Profession
Military officer
Awards
Medal of Distinguished Service Tzalash (4) Legion of Merit DoD Medal for Distinguished Public Service
Signature
Military service
Branch/service
Israeli Defense Forces
Years of service
1959–1995
Rank
Rav Aluf (Lieutenant general; highest rank)
Unit
Sayeret Matkal
Commands
Chief of General Staff Deputy Chief of General Staff Central Command Military Intelligence Directorate Aman Sayeret Matkal
Battles/wars
Six-Day War Yom Kippur War Entebbe raid
Ehud Barak (Hebrew: אֵהוּד בָּרָק[eˈhudbaˈʁak]ⓘ; born Ehud Brog; 12 February 1942) is an Israeli former general and politician who served as the tenth prime minister from 1999 to 2001. He was leader of the Labor Party between 1997 and 2001 and between 2007 and 2011.
Born on a kibbutz, Barak is the eldest of four sons; his 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 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 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 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 became party leader. Barak served as Israel's last 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 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 defense minister - where he led Operation Cast Lead in 2008–09 - and deputy prime minister under Ehud Olmert and then in Benjamin Netanyahu's second 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 the Democratic Union, but it did not win enough seats for him to become a member of the Knesset.[1] 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.
^Jacob Magid (26 June 2019). "Declaring Netanyahu's time as up, Ehud Barak announces formation of new party". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 29 June 2019.
EhudBarak (Hebrew: אֵהוּד בָּרָק [eˈhudbaˈʁak] ; born Ehud Brog; 12 February 1942) is an Israeli former general and politician who served as the tenth...
between United States president Bill Clinton, Israeli prime minister EhudBarak and Palestinian Authority chairman Yasser Arafat. The summit took place...
Benjamin Netanyahu who was followed in 1999 by the Labor Party leader EhudBarak. From 11 to 25 July 2000, the Middle East Peace Summit at Camp David was...
the system's technology. On 17 May 2012, when Israeli Defense Minister EhudBarak met with U.S. Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, the Pentagon issued a...
following the resignation of the incumbent Prime Minister EhudBarak on 9 December 2000. Barak stood for re-election against Likud's Ariel Sharon. The third...
left; the right had won by less than one percent (about 29,000 votes). EhudBarak, promising peace talks and withdrawal from Lebanon by July 2000, won the...
1997 and was replaced by EhudBarak that year. Barak rebuffed Peres' attempt to secure the position of party president. EhudBarak was elected prime minister...
coalition falling apart, Netanyahu decided to call early elections in 1999. EhudBarak won the internal primaries, and was nominated as the Labor candidate for...
youngest-ever. Netanyahu and Likud were heavily defeated in the 1999 election by EhudBarak's One Israel alliance; and Netanyahu chose to retire from politics entirely...
Temple Mount, triggering the Second Intifada. He subsequently defeated EhudBarak in the election and served as Israel's prime minister from 2001 to 2006...
Israel's defense industry. It was headed by former Israeli Prime Minister EhudBarak, who was also at one time the defense minister, and chief of staff of...
succeed Gabi Ashkenazi as the Chief of General Staff by Defense Minister EhudBarak. Although his appointment was approved by the government it was overturned...
and 37 days; second term: 227 days) Moshe Sharett: 1 year and 281 days EhudBarak: 1 year and 245 days Naftali Bennett: 1 year and 17 days Yair Lapid: 181...
echelons. Several have become IDF Generals and members of the Knesset. EhudBarak's career is an example: a draftee in 1959, he later succeeded Unit 101...
Herzog served as the secretary of the government in EhudBarak's cabinet until 2001 when Barak was defeated by Ariel Sharon in a special election for...
Neumann became a partner of InterCure, an Israeli cannabis company led by EhudBarak, former Prime Minister of Israel and invested in EquityBee, a start-up...
Ehud Olmert (/ˈoʊlmərt, -mɛərt/; Hebrew: אֶהוּד אוֹלְמֶרְט, IPA: [eˈhud ˈolmeʁt] ; born 30 September 1945) is an Israeli politician and lawyer. He served...
political party in Israel established in 2019 by former prime minister EhudBarak. The party merged with Meretz for the September 2019 election. It did...
secret service, and commander-in-chief of the Navy. He came in second to EhudBarak in a Labor party leadership election in June 2007, and was appointed a...
to 507. However, large parts of the party remained sceptical, accusing EhudBarak of only being interested in his own benefits under the deal. On 25 March...
Israel coalition led by EhudBarak. In 2001 Likud's Ariel Sharon, who replaced Netanyahu following the 1999 election, defeated Barak in an election called...
took place during a political transition period – Israeli Prime Minister EhudBarak had resigned six weeks previously on 9 December 2000, and elections were...
elections, which polls indicated a possible defeat for then Prime Minister EhudBarak, and the end of the Clinton presidency, in which Bill Clinton desired...