Well, well. The day I have long hoped for has arrived - sort of. It has been announced that Ehud Barak is leaving the Labour party. Don't get too excited. He's not r-e-s-i-g-n-i-n-g. Please. Israeli pols don't do resigning. They leave to go on lucrative lecture tours, to begin prison sentences, whatever, but they always come back.

The Labour party has no place in this government and the task now is to elect a leader who commands and deserves respect, who will regroup and rebuild the party. There are MKs in Labour's ranks who qualify. Let's hope he or she is elected.

And let's hope Ehud Barak's new party gets the treatment it deserves and remains confined to Baraks.