Papal Visit Purim Millennium Snow in Jer. Under different circumstances, his resignation might have been admirable. Such a step would, for instance, have been entirely appropriate after his coalition shrank to barely a quarter of the Knesset and his efforts to rebuild it failed. It would also have been reasonable two weeks ago, when a majority of the Knesset declared its lack of faith in him by passing an early elections bill in first reading. Saturday night, however, it was not appropriate.
Resignation is a perfectly valid tactic under the rules of the game set out by Israeli law.
The problem, rather, is what this resignation says about Barak's decision-making abilities. Barak's frequent and rapid U-turns on policy have long bewildered most Israelis. This inability to set a course on complex policy issues provides ample reason to deem Barak incapable of leading the country. But with his resignation, he has proved that he cannot steer a course on even the simplest of issues. In the 12 days that elapsed between his decision to support early elections for the whole Knesset and his decision to call elections for the prime minister only, nothing changed.