He went straight to the Knesset, ignored the catcalls and heckles from his own benches, and reached out to the dovish members of the Labour opposition. He won the vote and secured a peace with Egypt. That's the way to do it. Barak will have to show similar courage. For in peacemaking, the usual rules of democratic politics do not apply.
Leaders have to move ahead of their constituencies - and then persuade their nations to catch up.
Both Begin and Rabin did that, in similarly lonely circumstances. Trimble has taken the first step in that dance, moving further ahead than unionism has been ready to go, but not been nearly as assiduous in the next move, persuasion. Barak's form has been better. In his pre-summit speech to the Knesset on Monday, the PM broke with all tradition and addressed not the chamber but the TV cameras in the gallery above. He was giving physical expression to the essential act of any peacemaker and statesman - daring to go above the heads of the naysayers and schemers of politics, and talk directly to the people.