The humanitarian problems illustrate the political problem in Zimbabwe, where a power-sharing agreement signed in September between President Robert Mugabe of the ruling ZANU-PF party and MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai has yet to take effect.
Mr Barak, the leader of the Labor Party, in effect acts as foreign minister for the peace talks while the man who holds the title, Avigdor Lieberman, has threatened to quit the government if the prime minister gives too much ground.
"It's very, very important both from a realistic standpoint and also from perception that this is a stock, this is a company that is a leader, " Mr Kessler says, adding that when a leader falls, it has a definite domino effect.