Ehud Barak Bio (Biography)
Real name:
Ehud Brug
Date of birth:
February 12. 1942
Place of birth:
Kibbutz Mishmar Ha-Sharon, Palestine [now Israel]
Astrology Sign:
Aquarius
Tags:
Biography
The 10th Prime Minister of Israel (1999-2001), Ehud Barak was originally named Ehud Brog when he was born in 1942. Brogs' service to Israel began in 1959 when he first joined the Israel Defense Forces. It was then that he chose to change his name to Barak for its more powerful connotations because in Hebrew it means thunder. He stayed with the Israel Defense Forces for thirty-five years, ultimately rising to be Chief of the General Staff at the rank of Rav Aluf, or the highest ranking available in the military in Israel. Barak was awarded five different citations for courage and excellence, making him one of the most decorated soldiers in Israeli history. These accommodations inevitably helped him enter the realm of politics in later years.
When Barak did finally decide to enter politics he began by serving as Minister of the Interior in 1995 and the Minister of Foreign Affairs in 1995-1996. In 1996 Barak was then elected to the Israeli legislature known as the Knesset. From there he eventually became the leader of the Labor Party in Israel. From there, it was only three short years until Barak was elected Prime Minister of Israel in 1999, which ended in a loss to Ariel Sharon in 2001. The 2001 loss was a landslide, and the defeat caused Barak to leave Israel. He decided to turn away from politics to become an advisor with Electronic Data Systems.
Four years later, in 2005 Barak tried to mount a return to the Israeli political system when he ran for the leadership position for the Labor Party. A little ways into the race his weak polling results caused him to drop from the race early, and even though he did not agree with the winner of that election, Amir Peretz, he declared that he would stay on in the party.
In early 2007 Barak once again announced that he was going to attempt to once again attain the leadership of the Labor Party. Part of his strategy for winning the election was making sure that he admitted that there were "mistakes" and "inexperience" that plagued his brief term as Prime Minister in 1999-2001.
When Barak did finally decide to enter politics he began by serving as Minister of the Interior in 1995 and the Minister of Foreign Affairs in 1995-1996. In 1996 Barak was then elected to the Israeli legislature known as the Knesset. From there he eventually became the leader of the Labor Party in Israel. From there, it was only three short years until Barak was elected Prime Minister of Israel in 1999, which ended in a loss to Ariel Sharon in 2001. The 2001 loss was a landslide, and the defeat caused Barak to leave Israel. He decided to turn away from politics to become an advisor with Electronic Data Systems.
Four years later, in 2005 Barak tried to mount a return to the Israeli political system when he ran for the leadership position for the Labor Party. A little ways into the race his weak polling results caused him to drop from the race early, and even though he did not agree with the winner of that election, Amir Peretz, he declared that he would stay on in the party.
In early 2007 Barak once again announced that he was going to attempt to once again attain the leadership of the Labor Party. Part of his strategy for winning the election was making sure that he admitted that there were "mistakes" and "inexperience" that plagued his brief term as Prime Minister in 1999-2001.