Defense Minister and Labor Party leader Ehud Barak criticized his political rivals on Monday, equating them with hosts of reality television shows, and told his constituents that a military operation in the Gaza Strip was still very much on the agenda.

Speaking at a Labor Party event in Jerusalem on Monday evening, Barak said "anyone who misses the military operations in Gaza mustn't worry, they will come."

Addressing Israel's current restraint in the Gaza Strip, Barak said "we've never had cause to regret wars or a military operation that we didn't undertake from a position of strength and self assurance." Against the backdrop of the weekend polls predicting the results of future general elections, with Barak eyeing the premiership alongside Kadima's Tzipi Livni and Likud's Benjamin Netanyahu, the defense minister said "you can try a new host in a chapter of 'Survivor' or a new host or leader for some tribe on a reality television show, and even new judges on a talent show, but when there is a real storm in the sea, you take an experienced captain."

In regard to the polls, which predicted only 14 to 17 mandates for the Labor Party with Barak at its helm, he said "these things are a momentary mood, at best. What will determine [the result] in the end will be the seriousness and depth of our work and accomplishment." He added that a decision on leadership cannot be taken in a single day, saying "we remember how Hillary Clinton looked in the polls, and where Obama was six months ago."

Barak lauded current indirect peace negotiations with Syria, saying "there is no guarantee that these overtures will come to fruition, but they are very important and we will press ahead and examine them."