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Barak is Defence Minister

Jerusalem: The Israeli Cabinet on Saturday approved the appointment of Ehud Barak as Defence Minister, an Israeli official said, capping the political comeback of the former Prime Minister six years after a humiliating election defeat. The appointment follows Mr. Barak's election this week as leader of the dovish Labour Party. Mr. Barak, a former military chief, has made no secret that he coveted the defence post as a step toward returning to the nation's top job. The Cabinet Ministers approved Mr. Barak's appointment in a special vote conducted over the telephone, the official said. Prime Minister Ehud Olmert wanted the vote taken before he heads to the United States on Sunday, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to talk to the media. — AP

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