Barak fires top aide who said PR consultants run government

JERUSALEM -- Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak fired a leading aide after he was quoted as saying that the prime minister was no longer functioning as the nation's leader.

Barak aides said the prime minister on Monday dismissed his chief of staff, Haim Mendel Shaked, after he was quoted as criticizing what he termed the paralysis in the prime minister's office and its domination by outside public relations consultants. The aides said Barak was furious over the reported remarks, denied by Shaked.

Shaked was the second senior aide to have left the prime minister this month. Earlier, Shaked's assistant, Shimon Batat, left the Barak and later accused the prime minister of being controlled by public relations men.

The brunt of the criticism by both Batat and Shaked was Danny Yatom, head of the political and security staff and regarded as the prime minister's leading aide. Yatom was accused of being petty, threatened by competent advisors and obsessed over his personal power.

The opposition Likud party responded immediately to the Shaked dismissal. The party called on Barak to resign, saying he no longer has a parliamentary majority or the support of the people.

Earlier, Barak launched a campaign to institute secular reform. This included plans to dismantle the Religious Affairs Ministry and introduce secular marriages.