Barak to Quit Politics, Not to Join Sharon's Government

Barak to Quit Politics, Not to Join Sharon's Government

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Israeli outgoing Prime Minister Ehud Barak decided on Tuesday that he will not take up the post of defense minister in a national unity government under Prime Minister-elect Ariel Sharon.

Barak announced his decision late Tuesday in letters to Sharon and Raanan Cohen, secretary general of the Labor Party, which Barak currently heads, Israel's military radio reported.

In the letters, Barak also said that he would quit both the leadership of the Labor Party and his seat in the Knesset (parliament), the radio quoted one of his aides as saying.