Its ironic that it takes "Israel's most decorated soldier" to make the most sense about peace. But Barak always has done.
I was in Tel Aviv when he beat Netanyahu - the now PM and Barak's boss - in 1999 to be PM. (Another hiden irony is that Netanyahu - the hawk - was Barak's minion in the 1973 war.) Around that time I met with one of his most famous campaigners - Amoz Oz - and the feeling that it was peace or bust was strong. The appetite and indeed lust for peace was palpable that night among the young and peaceniks - especially around Rabin Square and at Rabin's memorial there - as they celebrated Barak's win.
It was Barak that pulled Israel out of Lebanon and took all the flack for that from the hawks and the Religious right. That same flak precipitated Ariel Sharon's afternoon walk on the Temple Mount that kicked off the Second Intifada in 2000. Sharon ultimately succeeded and Barak was thrown from power. From that moment on, it seems to me, any hope that built from the nineties evapourated and has not returned.
It is my view that Barak has always been Israel's best chance for Peace - I hope he gets a second chance...