Ariel Sharon

Ariel Sharon (born February 27, 1928, age 84 years) is an Israeli politician and general.
He served as Prime Minister of Israel from March 7, 2001 to 14 April 2006. His power as prime minister was replaced by Prime Minister (temporary) Ehud Olmert since he suffered a stroke in January 2006. He was in a coma for a long time, so it is possible can not be re-running tasks as government leaders.


He was born in Kfar Malal (British Mandate of Palestine) and appeared as a political leader and military Israeli nationality. Sharon was also the leader of Likud, the largest party in the coalition government in the Israeli parliament, Knesset, until he resigned from the party on 21 November 2005. He then formed a new party called Kadima.
For thirty years Sharon served as a member of the Israel Defense Forces. Is the highest rank of Major General. He became famous in Israel for his involvement in the Six Day War in 1967 and the Yom Kippur War in 1973.


Ariel Sharon is also responsible for the tragedy of the massacre Qibya on October 13, 1953 at which time 96 Palestinians were killed by Unit 101 and led the massacres of Sabra and Shatila in Lebanon in 1982 which resulted in between 3000-3500 people were killed, so he was dubbed the 'Junior Butcher of Beirut '.


Early life and military career

He was born with the name Ariel Scheinermann (Shinerman) from a family of supporters of the Zionist movement. At the age of 17, he joined the Haganah mafia groups whose activities are terrorizing the Palestinian people. In the conduct of terrorist acts, he in turn was under the command of Prime Minister David Ben Gurion, Itzhak Shamir and Yitzhak Rabin.


At the time of Israel's independence war in 1948, at the age of 20, he had become a commander in the Israeli infantry brigade Alexandroni. By the time he was about to set fire to a field, a sudden barrage of bullets into his body Palestinians. The wound was nearly fatal had he not saved his. Later that year, he continued his studies in law at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. In 1953, he formed a special commando unit as well as leading the "Unit 101" is assigned to conduct special operations high level.


He was appointed commander of the corps and para-commandos involved in the war for the Sinai in 1956. In 1957, he continued his military service education in the Camberley Staff College, UK.
During the years 1958-1962, Sharon was once the commander of the Infantry Brigade, Infantry led the Education Center and follow the law school at the University of Tel Aviv. In the Six Day War (1967) involving Israel against the Arabs, he served as commander of an army division to Brigadier General. Later, he resigned from the army in 1972. When there is Yom Kippur War in 1973, he was called upon to lead an army division to cross the Suez Canal.


Political career


His political career began in 1973 when he was elected to the Knesset. However, he resigned a year later to become National Security Advisor to Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. He returned to the Knesset in 1977 and accepted a position as Minister of Agriculture. Later, he served as Minister of Defense (1981-1983) when the Lebanon war raged when Israeli troops entered Lebanon on his orders.


Ariel Sharon then resigned when a government commission accused him indirectly involved in the September 1982 attacks on the Palestinian refugees in Sabra and Shatila by Lebanese Maronite militia. Victim in this incident reached over 3,000 people were killed. In addition, he was responsible for the tragedy of October 13, 1953 Qibya massacre that killed 96 Palestinians by Unit 101 leads. Of two such events, some people called him the "Butcher of Beirut".


Period 1984-1990, he re-entered the cabinet and served as Minister of Industry and Trade. After that, for two years, he became Minister of Housing and Construction. Period July 1996-July 1999, he served as Minister of National Infrastructure and the Minister of Foreign Affairs (October 1998-July 1999). At the session of the Knesset in May 1999, he was elected as Chairman of the Likud Party following the resignation of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. His political career peaked when he was elected Prime Minister of Israel in February 2001.


In the midst of a very tight guard, Ariel Sharon raised the oath of office as prime minister-11 in front of the Knesset Forum on March 7, 2001. Swearing-in after he succeeded in forming a national unity government with the political spectrum of the most extensive in the history of Israel. Led coalition to achieve two basic agreement concerning the future of peace.
Step withdrawal from Gaza raises serious opposition in the party, while a change in the Labour Party leadership. Chairman of the Labor Party seat switch from Shimon Peres to Amir Peretz. He responded with a backward step from the Likud Party (21 November 2005) to form a new party called Kadima the centrist wing.


Sharon Health

On December 18, 2005 Sharon suffered a mild stroke and was taken to the hospital. He was hospitalized for two days and is scheduled to undergo surgery on his heart on January 5, 2006. But on January 4, 2006 he re-entered the hospital from his ranch in the Negev. Apparently he had a stroke back, and this time it seems rather severe. Along with the stroke, Sharon suffered a cerebral hemorrhage. Sharon underwent seven hours of surgery to stop bleeding and remove blood that collects in the brain. He was admitted to the intensive care unit and would be highly unlikely to return to the political arena, even if he managed to survive.


Meanwhile, his duties as prime minister was transferred to Deputy Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, who currently serves as Acting Prime Minister.
Key members of the Kadima Party said they would support Olmert. This reduces the concern that the movement, founded by Sharon two months ago, will crack if Sharon does not exist. A new poll showed Kadima would win the March 28 elections under the leadership of Olmert.
Palestinian leaders, who held their own election on January 25, saying that they are associated with Israeli officials to follow Sharon's condition. "We are monitoring the situation closely," said Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat.
The health condition of Ariel Sharon made a lot of the misgivings and concerns about the future of the Middle East peace plan. Sharon's policy to conduct its withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and West Bank is believed a number of parties as a step forward towards peace with the Palestinians. But these policies are many challenges from the right in Israel.


On February 11, 2006, his condition worsened and she again had to undergo emergency surgery after badly damaged digestive system.

On 11 April 2006, the Cabinet of Israel lifted Olmert as Prime Minister while the effect from the 14th of April, unless Sharon's health improves. On April 14, Sharon declared "unable to continue", has been 100 days since he was hospitalized. Olmert thus officially replace him on that day.