Who are the ungrateful jerks? The victims of Sultan Yaakoub? The victims of Tze'elim? Members of the SLA? IDF soldiers killed and wounded by ex-SLA getting revenge? Victims of Second Intifada? The victims of the Gush Katif expulsion? Citizens of the North who got hit by Hezbolla rockets and of the South who got hit by Hamas rockets thanks to Barak? Or do you mean the Mavi Marmara commandos? The only ones mourning Barak's retirement are Shalom Achshav, Fatah and Hamas

Israel will be safer without Barak, however the damage he has done will take a long, long time to change I hope that Bibi and all of the others who just seem to play music chairs with positions do the same, ie. Sharon Peres, Livni, Bibi and all the others who have nothing to offer the country, but more of the same losing strategies.

For the coming months, until way after the elections - namely until a government is actually formed, he's still Israel's defense minister, and doesn't need to be in the Knesset for that. But he's gotten rid of his party, and so made it easier to continue being defense minister when a new government is formed.

I don't approve of Barak as MoD today, but the man has given his all for the State of Israel. He deserves a really sincere "Thank you" for his service. I wonder how many of the TB's here are even old enough to remember Entebbe and Black September?

You are the biggest of them all.

Better late than never, but he did more damage than all the terrorists together.

the guy may have many years and lots of medals but he is an unloved arrogant character- as it is clear- good to Israel? don't know about that

he has made the right choice. Israel needs new blood, younger blood, enough of the old folks home politicians. There are many younger thats also have experience and wisdom for Israel of the 21st century. We are up against a different enemy today, new weapons, far reaching missles......our wars of 67, 73 etc are history, the we survived and we need a DM to survive this more modern warfare.

and we all know how that turned out.

Toda Barak...

What kind of stateman he is, he leaves just in time, to avoid the coming confrontation with Iran-Hizbollah-Hamas . Much better out that in.

The David Petraeus of theJews walked on water and almost wiped us off the map when he went through his messianic phase Good luck

Thanks for stepping down. It's your greatest contribution so far.

Halleluia! wonders never cease, do they.

Please, please, please keep that spineless vermin away from Switzerland. he wrecked Israel and now you want him to ATTEMPT a solid country like switzerland. You've got to be joking!

Salma, where is 'balestine'???

Thank God he is going goodbye it wasn't good but we are glad you are going

Barak please get lost already! Like many of his predecessors he was a good soldier and a very poor statesman. He is a also a liar, cheat and egomaniac-and can live a wonderful life in the west or europe. He knows he hasn't got a chance in hell with the elections. If only he would take his leftist cronies with him we might stand a better chance in the future. The future leadership of Israel must be young, bright, honest and unapologetic and even if not super religious at least believe in HKBH above men and speacial interests.

... you say you do not care. Aren't you lying to yourself?

dishonest and LOVES to make $$$$$$$$$$$

the d.m. for the arabs? Then we can kick butt under a real D.M. and go back to winning again.

It would benefit Israel enormously if Livni, Peres, Mofaz and all the other leftist political leaders followed Barak's lead,.

Wait, I thought Tzipi Livni quit politics in April this year to 'return to academia' after she was defeated by Shaul Mofaz in the Kadima primary? And didn't Ehud Barak quit politics once before in 2001 to become a senior adviser at EDS and again in 2011, leaving the Labor party to join Kadima? I heard even Shimon Peres is talking about quitting politics - someday!