Offered Arafat about %98 of the territories in dispute;Arafat preferred to get them by murdering the Jewish inhabitants,instead-and turned the offer down.

Israel needs to get a new electoral system to get rid of the kooks and extremists. Then something could get done.

Really worked hard for PEACE in the Holy Land.

A good Israeli leader. So many people hit on him for not negotiating with the Palestinians, but its pretty hard to negotiate with terrorists, especially when the PLO refuses a deal where that they would get 95% of what they wanted.

A decent Israeli politician. Now that is a good joke! They are all murderers.

Barak never really knew what he wanted to get out of the peace process. His problem was that he couldn't decide if whether he was hard right or liberal in negotiating with the Palestinians. This indecisiveness really is what led up to the halt of the peace process.

tried to mix sincereity with world politics!

He was a hypocrit. He is as bad as Sharon. Anyone who disguises himself as a woman to go into a village to murder innocent Palestinian women and children, should be prosecuted in the Hague (just like Sharon) and should never lead a country. In regards to what he offered Arafat, he was offering a "Swiss Cheese Plan" to the Palestinians, where there would have been the first inland archipelago in history. In addition he never accepted the Palestinian proposal and walked off the negotiation table in Taba. He was no man of peace as he let the settlements grow and continued submitting the Palestinians into a system of apartheid...together with Sharon and Netanyahu, the israelies should be ashamed of electing these leader.

Poor Ehud trapped in a closed room with Arafat and Clinton. The moral corruption had to be palatable and Arafat’s legendary lack of cleanliness oppressive. He deserved better partners.

He's not even in power anymore in Israel.

This military man has spearheaded Israel's decline and dissaray. He sanctioned the provoking visit of his rival Sharon to the disputed temple mount, causing the current wave of unrest. In doing so, he didn't realize he had shot his political career. Later he discovered how a miserable fool he had been to give his rival the winning ticket.

not a surprise he has dissapeared

Finally! A Prime Minister who echoed the collective voice of secular Israelis and was simultaneously respectful of the Orthodox viewpoint, even when it wasn't respectful of him (which was very often the case). He was also realistic in his rapport with PA President Yasser Arafat and offered many concessions to the Palestinian people (who have suffered as much as the Israelis have with their Arab neighbors) such as water rights in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip and allowing the Palestinian Authority to have de facto control over the Palestinian destiny of eventual statehood (which I believe is inevitable). Unfortunately, the Orthodox want to make Israel a theocracy and have only reinforced their international image as hysterical, uncompromising mental midgets who have been known to physically attack Conservative and Reform Jews worshiping at the Wailing Wall while branding them as "false Jews" who want to deny the Jewish people Eretz Yisra'el. These shrill right-wing Likud wackos call fellow Israelis and Jews who disagree with them Nazis and Hamans! How tolerant is that? In a parliamentary democracy such as Israel, which is the only real example of democracy in the Middle East despite its flaws in the Knesset (such as constant parliamentary crises), these voices will still be heard because Ehud Barak has let them be heard, and was secure enough to call special elections even when he knew it would lead to the Likud gaining power via a coalition of several religious and secular parties (including several members of Labor). Barak is a true man of peace who tried to let the law and debate dictate Israel's diplomatic and political future. He was gracious enough to know when to walk away from a situation that he knew was not going well and to let Ariel Sharon and the right-wing shills demonstrate their diplomacy, knowing that they would get their comeuppance because Barak did more constructive dialogue with the PLO than Netan-yahoo, Begin and Shamir than any Likud right-winger ever did. Kudos to a man of principle and fair dealing!

Probably the most naiv prime minister in Israels whole history! Will hopefully never return to politic again.

Barak at least was clever enough to understand that Israel's only way to peace is to recognize Palestinian's right to establish their State, and to hear what they have to say. His successor has certainly less wits and believe that force (the only language accessible to his poor brain) is all. He will never achieve even 10% of what Barak almost got.

He is not what Isreal needs right now.

As a 16 year old American and an atheist, maybe I don't understand fully the importance of Jerusalem, but I've always admired the way he TRIED for peace. Ending the bloodshed is more important than any city! People are dying! I miss him, and I just hope Sharon can control the situation.

I know it must be a hard job to be Prime Minister, but he has no excuss!!!!! Barak was horrible for Israel! What was he thinking when he was offering Jerusalem?!! Jerusalem is ours now and forever!!!!! He was going to make agreements without passing it by the knesset, What was he thinking?! He was out of his mind, and just because he was out of his mind we should not have to suffer. I am glad Sharon will be Prime Minister instead of Barak, now HOPEFULLY Sharon can get us peace without paying a highh price, Hoping for the best

I said he would be trouble. Now that he has joined with Sharon we're in deep crap!

It is interesting how many people think Ehud should march downtown on a white horse butchering Arabs.Being Israel's most decorated soldier I think he has more than proved he is capable of war. The fact that he is willing to go the hard road for peace makes him the man for the job.Considering how long the division in plaestine sum total has existed I think it is high time the armchair theorists and extreme fundamental protagonists SAT DOWN,SHUT UP,AND OPENED THEIR EARS AS TO WHAT IS BEING SAID TODAY! FOR WE ARE ALL AWARE OF WHAT HAPPENED YESTERDAY. THE FACT IS THAT MESOPOTAMIA MUST BECOME A UNITED DEMOCRATIC TRADING BLOCK WITH A 21ST CENTURY AGENDA.GOOD LUCK EHUD.

Even if Barak was the best man alive, to me he is a killer.

Not a good politician and definately not a good dresser. However, he has implied that he is willing to go a long way for peace, wich is the only thing that kan help the region. If he means it, I hope he stays on.

Anyone who can blame Barak for the situation in Israel needs to get his facts straight. No matter how much Barak submits, the Arabs will never stop until Israelites are wiped off the face of the earth. He is doing as well of a job as he is able under the circumstances, seeing as how he can't win.

stop the fighting,this is not getting anywhere! death is not the solution!

Jerusalem is the heart, soul & eternal capitol of the State of Isreal & the Jewish people. Anyone who really thinks Arafat wants peace should look into his rhetoric of hate & violence. Berlin united & Jreusalem devided, who's idea of a joke is that?

Talk about a no win situation. He knows that Israel's long-term security in the region is predicated on establishing a lasting peace with the Palestinians and the rest of the Arab world. Yet, to do this, he must negotiate and shake hands with a man who not too long ago was the leader of a terrorist organization whose sole mission was the destruction of Israel and whose people are taught from birth to hate Jews and Israelis. In addition, he must deal with his own people who are understandably skeptical of the peace process, many who do not want to trade land for peace, and all who will never give up any control of Jerusalem. Barak is doing everything he can in this very difficult time.

Barak is an embarrassment to Israel. He seems so indebted to Carville, et al., (who ran his campaign FYI) that he's been willing to negotiate away Israel's security. Now Arafat is demanding control of Jerusalem -- nice negotiating work Barak...

Peace. :)

any leader who is leading a country which was forcibly grabbed from its rightful owners, I would rate as terrible

West-bank willing to negotiate but should find faster solution

Thank God the peace process may be revived.

Hope!