The announcement in the New York Times that Ehud Barak, the Israeli defence minister and former prime minister, is retiring from politics is a serious blow to anyone who wants to see the Jewish state take a rational and reasonable approach to global security issues.

From his time as an officer in Israel’s elite Sayeret Matkal special forces unit – during which he took part in a number of highly dangerous operations – Barak has been a a pillar of Israel’s defence establishment, and has played a leading role in shaping the direction of Israel’s defence policy.

Although a long-standing member of the Labour party, Barak has nevertheless adopted a hawkish position on security issues, and was played a leading role in the recent operation against Hamas militants in Gaza who were threatening southern Israel with their stockpiles of Iranian-made missiles.