JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Outgoing Israeli leader Ehud Barak has said he was quitting politics, a decision that could pave the way for Prime Minister-elect Ariel Sharon to form a wide coalition better equipped to reach peace with the Palestinians.
In a surprise move late on Tuesday, caretaker Prime Minister Barak resigned as Labour Party chairman and decided to turn down an offer to be defence minister in Sharon's government. He is also leaving parliament.
"He presented me his resignation in a detailed letter that presents all the problems, why he reached this conclusion and decision," Labour Party secretary Raanan Cohen told Israel Radio. Barak's resignation is effective immediately.
The decision was expected to put an end to Labour Party infighting and make it easier for Sharon to establish a left-right coalition that would be better able to deal with five months of Israeli-Palestinian bloodshed.
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One door closed is one door opened
One more memory fades away
Such grand dreams we all have chosen
We lost our innocence along the way
- Rose Bygrave, "Innocence"
PsychoticIckyThing.Com
In a surprise move late on Tuesday, caretaker Prime Minister Barak resigned as Labour Party chairman and decided to turn down an offer to be defence minister in Sharon's government. He is also leaving parliament.
"He presented me his resignation in a detailed letter that presents all the problems, why he reached this conclusion and decision," Labour Party secretary Raanan Cohen told Israel Radio. Barak's resignation is effective immediately.
The decision was expected to put an end to Labour Party infighting and make it easier for Sharon to establish a left-right coalition that would be better able to deal with five months of Israeli-Palestinian bloodshed.
Want to learn more? http://www.reuters.com/news_article.jhtml?type=world&Repository=WORLD_REP&RepositoryStoryID=%2Fnews%2FIDS%2FWorld%2FOUKWD-MIDEAST_NEW.XML
------------------
One door closed is one door opened
One more memory fades away
Such grand dreams we all have chosen
We lost our innocence along the way
- Rose Bygrave, "Innocence"
PsychoticIckyThing.Com