Politicsאהוד ברק
Ehud Barak
Ehud Barak is an Israeli former general and politician who served as prime minister of Israel from 1999 to 2001 and as Chief of the General Staff from 1991 to 1995.
born 1942Prime minister from 1999 to 2001Commanding Sayeret MatkalWithdrawal from Southern LebanonChief of the General Staff
- Born
- 12 February 1942, Mishmar HaSharon
- Occupation
- politician, diplomat, military officer, soldier
- Party
- Democratic Israel
- Education
- Stanford University, Hebrew University of Jerusalem
- Rank
- lieutenant general
- Wars
- Six-Day War, War of Attrition, Yom Kippur War, 1982 Lebanon War
- Founded
- Democratic Israel (2019), Duvdevan Unit (1986), Independence (2011)
Ehud Barak was born in 1942 in Mishmar HaSharon
Ehud Barak was born Ehud Brog on kibbutz Mishmar HaSharon in 1942, the eldest of four sons. His father's parents were murdered in Lithuania in 1912, and his mother's parents died at Treblinka in the Holocaust. He changed his family name to Barak in 1972.
He earned a bachelor's degree in physics and mathematics from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in 1968. In 1978 he completed a master's degree in engineering-economic systems at Stanford University.
Barak joined the IDF in 1959 and served for 35 years. He commanded Sayeret Matkal, later headed Military Intelligence and Central Command, and became Chief of the General Staff in 1991 with the rank of lieutenant general.
He entered government in 1995 as interior minister and then became foreign minister. He led the Labor Party from 1997 and won the 1999 election for prime minister. His government withdrew the IDF from Southern Lebanon in 2000 and took part in the Camp David Summit.
After losing the 2001 election he left politics for business. He served as defense minister and deputy prime minister from 2007 to 2013 and founded the Independence party in 2011. In 2019 he led a new party in the Knesset election but did not win a seat.
Ehud Barak's life in 10 milestones
- 1942
Born on kibbutz Mishmar HaSharon.
- 1959
Joined the IDF.
- 1972
Led the Sabena hostage rescue as commander of Sayeret Matkal.
- 1976
Helped plan the Entebbe raid.
- 1986
Became head of Central Command and set up the Duvdevan unit.
- 1991
Became Chief of the General Staff.
- 1997
Elected leader of the Labor Party.
- 1999
Elected prime minister of Israel.
- 2000
Withdrew Israeli forces from Southern Lebanon.
- 2007
Became minister of defense.
Ehud Barak held 8 offices between 1991 and 2013
- Chief of the General Staff 1991 to 1995
- Minister of Foreign Affairs, Israel 1995 to 1996
- Knesset member 1996 to 2001, 2009 to 2013
- Prime Minister of Israel 1999 to 2001
- Minister of Tourism 1999
- Minister of Defense of Israel 1999 to 2001, 2007 to 2013
- Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development 2000 to 2001
- Deputy Prime Minister of Israel 2007 to 2013
Ehud Barak served in Sayeret Matkal and Armored Corps
Barak served in the IDF from 1959 for 35 years, commanding Sayeret Matkal and armored units in the Yom Kippur War, and rose to Chief of the General Staff with the rank of lieutenant general. He received the Medal of Distinguished Service and four Chief of Staff citations.
Ehud Barak received 4 awards and honours
- Medal of Distinguished Service
- Commander of the Legion of Merit
- Legionnaire of Legion of Merit
- Order of the Star of Romania
One story on Israel.com names Ehud Barak
These 6 people share a field, a unit or a party with Ehud Barak
Tzipi Livniborn 1958Israel's foreign minister, 2006 to 2009Politics
Danny Yatomborn 1945Heading the MossadPolitics
Uzi Dayanborn 1948Commanding Sayeret MatkalPolitics
Amiram Levinborn 1946Commanding Sayeret MatkalMilitary- Uzi Ben Itzhakborn 1944Medal of Distinguished ServiceMilitary
Benjamin Netanyahuborn 1949Prime minister of IsraelPolitics
Based on English Wikipedia, Ehud Barak and Hebrew Wikipedia, אהוד ברק, under CC BY-SA 4.0. The facts are Wikidata's.
Photograph: Barak Weizmann, CC0