Ehud Barak (born Ehud Brog in 1942 at Kibbutz Mishmar Hasharon) is an Israeli statesman, centrist politician, and former military officer who served as the 10th Prime Minister of Israel from 1999 to 2001 and as Minister of Defense from 2007 to 2009 and 2009 to 2013. Prior to his premiership, he had a distinguished 36-year career in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), rising to become the Chief of General Staff, Israel's most decorated soldier, and a veteran of the elite Sayeret Matkal unit. He also served as Chief of Aman (Military Intelligence Directorate) from 1991 to 1995, a period that included the Pollard affair. During his military career, he changed his surname to Barak (meaning "lightning"), reflecting his deep ties to intelligence community reforms and expertise in intelligence and counterterrorism.

After retiring from the military, Barak entered politics, leading the Labor Party to victory in 1999 and becoming Prime Minister. His tenure was marked by efforts to negotiate peace with the Palestinians, including dovish initiatives such as the 2000 Camp David Summit and territorial concessions, as well as the unilateral withdrawal from Lebanon, reflecting his centrist security policies. As Defense Minister, he oversaw major military operations like Operation Cast Lead and influenced U.S.-Israel security dialogues and intelligence cooperation.

Barak founded and led the Independence party and was a prominent figure in the left-leaning political opposition, known for his criticism of Netanyahu and right-wing policies. After leaving politics, he engaged in business consulting, private intelligence advisory roles, venture capital, private equity, cybersecurity, defense technology, and Israeli cyberweapons startups through his firm. He is currently chairman of InterCure. He remains a prominent commentator on Israeli security and political affairs and retains influence in military and technological sectors, including U.S. pro-Israel circles. Notably, he has documented ties to the social circle of financier Jeffrey Epstein, having been both a business associate and frequent guest.