Fears for Israeli policy on Iran as Barak quits politics

Israel’s defence minister Ehud Barak announced he was quitting politics, a surprise decision that deepens uncertainty over how Israel will confront Iran’s nuclear programme.

Barak’s political fortunes appeared to be on the rise after Israel’s eight-day Gaza offensive ended in a truce, but polls predicted his centrist Independence party, a junior partner in right- winger Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, would win no more than four seats in Israel’s 120- member parliament in a Jan 22 election.

A former head of the centre-left Labour Party, Barak insisted he and Netanyahu have been united on policy toward Iran, an issue that has often put the prime minister at odds with US President Barack Obama.