Prime Minister from 1999, when he defeated Binyamin Netanyahu in elections, until 2001. He tried, but failed, to negotiate a final peace with the Palestinians. His authority was undermined by the beginning of the second intifada in 2000 and he retired from politics after losing the 2001 general election to Ariel Sharon. He returned to public life in 2005, and in 2007 became Labour leader and then Minister of Defence in Ehud Olmert’s coalition government. He retained this post in Netanyahu’s Likud-led government from 2009; but in 2011 Labour discontent at government policy caused him to leave Labour and form the Independence Party, which remained part of the government. He left the government in 2013.