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.

But as the only centrist member of the governing coalition of right-wing and pro-settler parties, Barak has frequently visited Washington for talks and had criticised Netanyahu for airing differences with the United States.

At a hastily-called news conference, he said he would not be a candidate in the national ballot that Netanyahu’s Likud party is forecast to win.

He said he would remain in his post until a new government was formed in about three months’ time.

Barak, who was often seen as a moderating force in considering possible military action against Iran, said he wanted to spend more time with his family. Politics, he said, “has never been a particular passion of mine”.

Barak has been defence minister since 2007 and served as prime minister from 1999 to 2001, taking time out from politics after he lost the election to the Likud’s Ariel Sharon.

Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum said Barak’s decision to quit is “evidence of the political and military failure that the government of Netanyahu and his defence minister suffered.”

Israel has called its offensive a success, saying it destroyed most of Hamas’s long-range rocket arsenal and killed the Islamist group’s top militants.