Israel's Defence Minister Ehud Barak (C) speaks during a news conference in Tel Aviv November 26, 2012. Barak, a main architect of Israel's policy toward Iran's nuclear programme, said in a surprise announcement on Monday that he was quitting politics and would not run in the January 22 national election. REUTERS/Nir Elias (ISRAEL - Tags: POLITICS MILITARY TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)