Ehud Barak facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ehud Barak
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אֵהוּד בָּרָק
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Official portrait, 1999
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| 10th Prime Minister of Israel | |
| In office 6 July 1999 – 7 March 2001 |
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| President | Ezer Weizman Moshe Katsav |
| Deputy | Yitzhak Mordechai David Levy Binyamin Ben-Eliezer |
| Preceded by | Benjamin Netanyahu |
| Succeeded by | Ariel Sharon |
| Minister of Defense | |
| In office 18 June 2007 – 18 March 2013 |
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| Prime Minister | Ehud Olmert Benjamin Netanyahu |
| Deputy | Matan Vilnai |
| Preceded by | Amir Peretz |
| Succeeded by | Moshe Ya'alon |
| In office 6 July 1999 – 7 March 2001 |
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| Prime Minister | Himself |
| Deputy | Efraim Sneh |
| Preceded by | Moshe Arens |
| Succeeded by | Binyamin Ben-Eliezer |
| Minister of Foreign Affairs | |
| In office 22 November 1995 – 18 June 1996 |
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| Prime Minister | Shimon Peres |
| Deputy | Eli Dayan |
| Preceded by | Shimon Peres |
| Succeeded by | David Levy |
| Chief of General Staff | |
| In office 1 April 1991 – 1 January 1995 |
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| President | Chaim Herzog Ezer Weizman |
| Prime Minister | Yitzhak Shamir Yitzhak Rabin |
| Deputy | Amnon Lipkin-Shahak Matan Vilnai |
| Minister | Moshe Arens Yitzhak Rabin |
| Preceded by | Dan Shomron |
| Succeeded by | Amnon Lipkin-Shahak |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Ehud Brog
12 February 1942 Mishmar HaSharon, Mandatory Palestine |
| Political party | Israel Democratic Party |
| Other political affiliations |
Labor Party (until 2011) Independence (2011–2012) Independent (2012–2019) |
| Spouses |
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| Children | 3 |
| Education | HUJI (BSc) Stanford University (MS) |
| Profession | Military officer |
| Awards |
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| Signature |  |
| Military service | |
| Branch | Israeli Defense Forces |
| Service years | 1959–1995 |
| Rank | Rav Aluf (Lieutenant general) |
| Unit | Sayeret Matkal |
| Commands | Chief of General Staff Deputy Chief of General Staff Central Command Military Intelligence Directorate Sayeret Matkal |
| Battles/wars | Six-Day War Yom Kippur War Entebbe raid |
Ehud Barak (born Ehud Brog on 12 February 1942) is an Israeli former general and politician. He served as the tenth Prime Minister of Israel from 1999 to 2001. He also led the Labor Party for several years.
Barak was born on a kibbutz, which is a special type of community in Israel. His grandparents were sadly killed during the Holocaust. He studied physics and mathematics at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and later earned a master's degree from Stanford University.
He had a long and important military career in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) for 35 years. He became the Chief of the General Staff, which is the highest military position in Israel. Barak is known for leading several brave operations, including rescue missions. He is one of the most highly decorated soldiers in Israel's history.
After his military service, Barak entered politics. He became a minister in the government and was later elected to the Knesset, which is Israel's parliament. As Prime Minister, he made big decisions, like withdrawing Israeli forces from Southern Lebanon in 2000. He also tried to make peace between Israelis and Palestinians. After leaving office, he returned to politics later, serving as Minister of Defense.
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Early Life and Family History
Ehud Barak was born in Mishmar HaSharon, a kibbutz in what was then called Mandatory Palestine. His parents were Esther and Yisrael Mendel Brog. He was the oldest of four sons.
His grandparents on his father's side were killed in Lithuania in 1912. His mother's parents died in the Treblinka extermination camp during the Holocaust, a terrible time when many Jewish people were killed.
In 1972, Ehud changed his family name from "Brog" to "Barak." This is a common practice in Israel called "Hebraization," where people choose Hebrew names. He met his first wife, Nava, during his time in the military. They had three daughters: Michal, Yael, and Anat. They later divorced in 2003. In 2007, Barak married Nili Priel.
Outside of his busy career, Barak enjoys reading books by famous writers. He is also a talented classical pianist and has studied music for many years.
Barak earned his first university degree in physics and mathematics from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in 1968. Later, in 1978, he received his master's degree in engineering from Stanford University in California.
Military Service and Leadership
Ehud Barak joined the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in 1959. He served in the military for 35 years, which is a very long time! He rose through the ranks to become the Chief of the General Staff. This is the highest rank in the Israeli military, called Rav Aluf (Lieutenant-General).
During his time as a commando in an elite unit called Sayeret Matkal, Barak led several important operations. These included:
- "Operation Isotope" in 1972, a mission to free hostages from a hijacked plane at Lod Airport.
- A secret raid in Beirut in 1973, where he helped stop a terrorist group.
- The 1976 Entebbe raid, another rescue mission to free hostages from a hijacked plane in Uganda.
These operations helped to stop dangerous terrorist groups. Barak also played a role in the 1988 Tunis Raid, where a leader of a Palestinian group was killed.
During the Yom Kippur War, Barak commanded a group of tanks. He helped rescue soldiers who were in a difficult battle. He later led several armored brigades and divisions. He also served as the head of military intelligence (Aman) and the Central Command.
Barak was the Chief of the General Staff from 1991 to 1995. During this time, he helped put into action the first Oslo Accords, which were agreements aimed at peace between Israelis and Palestinians. He also took part in talks for the Israel–Jordan peace treaty.
For his bravery and excellent service, Barak received the Medal of Distinguished Service. He also earned four Chief of Staff citations, which are special awards for courage. These five awards make him the most decorated soldier in Israel's history. In 1992 and 2012, he also received awards from the United States.
Political Career Highlights
On 7 July 1995, Ehud Barak began his political career when he was appointed Minister of Internal Affairs. After Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin was sadly assassinated, Barak became the Minister of Foreign Affairs in Shimon Peres' government.
In 1996, he was elected to the the Knesset, Israel's parliament, as a member of the Labor Party. He then became the leader of the Labor Party.
Serving as Prime Minister
In the 1999 election, Ehud Barak won and became the Prime Minister of Israel. He promised to end Israel's presence in Southern Lebanon within a year. On 24 May 2000, Israel did withdraw its forces from Southern Lebanon.
Barak's government also continued peace talks with the PLO (Palestinian Liberation Organization). He took part in the Camp David 2000 Summit, a meeting with U.S. President Bill Clinton and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. The goal was to find a lasting solution to the Israeli–Palestinian conflict, but they could not reach an agreement.
Challenges and Resignation
During his time as Prime Minister, Barak faced some challenges at home. In October 2000, there were protests in Israel that led to violence.
In 2001, Barak called for a special election for Prime Minister. He lost to Ariel Sharon and then resigned as Labor leader and from the Knesset. After this, he worked in international business and as an advisor.
Return to Politics
In 2005, Barak decided to return to Israeli politics. He tried to become the leader of the Labor Party again but did not succeed at first. However, in 2007, he won the leadership of the Labor Party.
As Defense Minister
After becoming Labor leader again, Barak was sworn in as Minister of Defense on 18 June 2007. He served in this role under Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and later under Benjamin Netanyahu.
As Defense Minister, Barak led the Israel Defense Forces during Operation Cast Lead from December 2008 to January 2009. This was a military operation in the Gaza Strip.
In 2011, Barak formed a new political party called Independence. This allowed him to continue serving in Netanyahu's government.
In February 2011, Barak spoke at the United Nations for the International Day of Commemoration in memory of the victims of the Holocaust. He said that a strong and peaceful State of Israel is a way to honor those who died.
Barak retired from politics in 2012. However, he attempted another comeback in 2019, forming a new party called the Israel Democratic Party. His party joined an alliance, but he did not win enough votes to become a member of the Knesset again.
Awards and Decorations
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| Chief of Staff Citation | ||
| Chief of Staff Citation | Chief of Staff Citation | Chief of Staff Citation |
| Six-Day War Ribbon | War of Attrition Ribbon | Yom Kippur War Ribbon |
| First Lebanon War Ribbon | Medal of Distinguished Service | Commander of the Legion of Merit |
See also
In Spanish: Ehud Barak para niños
- List of Israel's Chiefs of the General Staff
