Ehud Olmert did something right. He appointed Ehud Barak Defense Minister to replace Amir Peretz. And before any of you remind me of Barak’s Camp David failures, well, he’s not going to be running the peace this time. He’s going to be running the war. As the most-decorated soldier in Israel, I think that’s something he is eminently qualified to do.
The government unanimously approved the appointment of newly elected Labor Party Chairman Ehud Barak as Israel’s next defense minister on Friday.
Former Defense Minister Amir Peretz handed in his resignation and will no longer be part of the government as of Monday evening.
Olmert decided on the appointment in his meeting with Barak Friday morning.
During the meeting, Olmert said he wished to rush the appointment in light of the tense security situation and the collapse of the Palestinian Authority in the Gaza Strip.
Barak responded to Olmert’s request, and is expected to enter his new role upon being sworn into Knesset on Monday.
Transportation Minister Shaul Mofaz, who was also a candidate for the position, expressed satisfaction with Olmert’s decision.
The thing that bothers me the most is the Olmert has managed to very deftly unite the other political parties behind him, and is keeping his job as Prime Minister in spite of the horrific events of last summer. Appointing Barak Defense Minister has just cemented his deal with Labor.
One would think that Olmert would put Israel’s well-being before his own political career. Yeah, one would think.
Isn’t it a bit wierd to have two guys named Ehud? If I remember my hebrew correctly doesn’t Ehud mean ‘one’ as in Shema Yisrael… Does this mean they have to fight — as you may or may not know from Highlander lore “there can be only one”.
Matt
I think you’re thinking of “echad.” “Ehud” means “love.” Which is also an interesting name for Israel’s most decorated warrior.
“Love” Barak? I saw a video about that yesterday…
Meryl, I thought the Hebrew word “achavat” meant love.
Yes, but I’m just quoting that link to Hebrew names:
I’m no Hebrew expert, but I’m sure my readers that are will be along any minute now to correct us both. ;-)
I’m probably wrong. I only know a few words in Hebrew, and most of them are rather impolite. ;)
“David” also means “beloved”, as in “dodi li va’ani lo …”
Hugh, “ahavah” means “love”, too, and takes the form you showed in a phrase like “ahavat Yisrael”, “love of Israel/of Jews”
We just have more ways to say LOVE than the enemy has to say HATE.
Ehud in the Bible was a good guy, but a little sneaky. Sinister, in fact — he was left-handed, and used that when he got in to see the enemy king: Judges 3:12 http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0703.htm
The closest translation for Ehud in Hebrew would be “sympathy,” not “love.” It’s a completely different root from the word for “one,” ekhad, which is spelled with a khet, not a hey.
In any event, Barak has publicly pledged to bring Olmert down and has repeatedly called for his resignation, and he has refused to renounce his plan to call for new elections at the earliest opportunity. So other than honoring a prior deal that brought Labor into his coalition in the first place, Olmert has actually done nothing to cement the loyalty of Labor. OTOH, if Barak felt that his ambitions could be better served by sticking with Olmert, I wouldn’t put it past him to screw his party and hop on board. We’ll see.
The name “Ehud” comes from the aleph/heh/dalet root — to support, sympathize with, make popular and, yes, love — though today the word is mainly used to denote fans, such as those of a sports team.
Wasn’t Barak the one who offered to give in to virtually all of Arafat’s demands? Thank God Arafat refused to take the offer or we’d have Arab missiles launching from Jerusalem.
I don’t really trust this guy as Defense minister, given what I saw of him as Prime Minister.
His job as Defense Minister is to run the armed services, not negotiate with the Palestinians.
As such, he is the most-decorated soldier in Israel.
Whatever you think of him as a PM, that’s not going to affect his reaction to his people being attacked.