Ariel Sharon

Ariel Sharon ( ), also known by his diminutive Arik , אַריק) (born Ariel Scheinermann (אריאל שיינרמן) on 26 February 1928) is an Israeli politician and retired general, who served as Israel’s 11th Prime Minister . He is currently in a persistent vegetative state after suffering a stroke on 4 January 2006. A commander in the Israeli Army since its inception in 1948, Sharon participated in the 1948 War of Independence , 1956 Suez War , Six-Day War of 1967, and the Yom-Kippur War of 1973. After retiring from the army, Sharon joined the right-wing Likud party, and served in a number of ministerial posts in Likud-led governments in 1977-1992 and 1996-1999. He became the leader of the Likud in 2000, and served as Israel’s Prime Minister from 2001 to 2006. During his long military and political career, Sharon was considered a controversial and polarizing figure. In 1983 a commission established by the Israeli Government found that as Minister of Defense during the 1982 Lebanon War Sharon bore personal, but indirect, responsibility for the massacre by Lebanese militias of Palestinian civilians in the refugee camps of Sabra and Shatila . In 1970s, 1980s and 1990s Sharon championed construction of Israeli settlements in the West Bank and Gaza Strip . However, as Prime Minister, in 2004-2005 Sharon orchestrated Israel's unilateral disengagement from the Gaza Strip . Facing stiff opposition to this policy within the Likud, in November 2005 he left Likud to form a new Kadima party. In January 2006 Sharon suffered a major stroke that left him in a persistent vegetative state . In March 2006 elections , Kadima, led by Ehud Olmert following Sharon's stroke, went on to win plurality of Knesset seats, becoming the senior coalition partner in Israel's 31st government .

Ariel Sharon ( ; , Ariʼēl Sharōn , also known by his diminutive Arik, אַריק , born Ariel Scheinermann , אריאל שיינרמן ‎; February 26, 1928 – January 11, 2014) was an Israeli politician and general who served as the 11th Prime Minister of Israel until he was incapacitated by a stroke. Sharon was a commander in the Israeli Army from its creation in 1948. As a soldier and then an officer, he participated prominently in the 1948 War of Independence , becoming a platoon commander in the Alexandroni Brigade and taking part in many battles, including Operation Ben Nun Alef . He was an instrumental figure in the creation of Unit 101 and the Reprisal operations , as well as in the 1956 Suez Crisis , the Six-Day War of 1967, the War of Attrition , and the Yom-Kippur War of 1973. As Minister of Defense, he directed the 1982 Lebanon War . Sharon was considered the greatest field commander in Israel's history, and one of the country's greatest military strategists. After his assault of the Sinai in the Six-Day War and his encirclement of the Egyptian Third Army in the Yom Kippur War , the Israeli public nicknamed him "The King of Israel". Upon retirement from the military, Sharon entered politics, joining the Likud , and served in a number of ministerial posts in Likud-led governments from 1977–92 and 1996–99. He became the leader of the Likud in 2000, and served as Israel's prime minister from 2001 to 2006. In 1983 the Kahan Commission , established by the Israeli Government, found that as Minister of Defense during the 1982 Lebanon War Sharon bore "personal responsibility" "for ignoring the danger of bloodshed and revenge" in the massacre by Lebanese militias of Palestinian civilians in the refugee camps of Sabra and Shatila . The Kahan Commission recommended Sharon's removal as Defense Minister, and Sharon did resign after initially refusing to do so. From the 1970s through to the 1990s, Sharon championed construction of Israeli settlements in the West Bank and Gaza Strip . However, as Prime Minister, in 2004–05 Sharon orchestrated Israel's unilateral disengagement from the Gaza Strip . Facing stiff opposition to this policy within the Likud, in November 2005 he left Likud to form a new party, Kadima . He had been expected to win the next election and was widely interpreted as planning on "clearing Israel out of most of the West Bank", in a series of unilateral withdrawals. After suffering a stroke on January 4, 2006, Sharon remained in a permanent vegetative state until his death in January 2014. The New York Times. : Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= ( help ) "New Israeli Cabinet Approved by Parliament" . The Times of Israel . Flashpoints in the War on Terrorism .

Prime Minister of Israel and Israeli general Ariel Sharon ( ; , Ariʼēl Sharōn , also known by his diminutive Arik, אָרִיק ‎, born Ariel Scheinermann , אֲרִיאֵל שַׁיינֶרְמָן ‎; 26 February 1928 – 11 January 2014) was an Israeli general and politician who served as the 11th Prime Minister of Israel from March 2001 until April 2006. Sharon was a commander in the Israeli Army from its creation in 1948. As a soldier and then an officer, he participated prominently in the 1948 Palestine war , becoming a platoon commander in the Alexandroni Brigade and taking part in many battles, including Operation Bin Nun Alef . He was an instrumental figure in the creation of Unit 101 and the reprisal operations , as well as in the 1956 Suez Crisis , the Six-Day War of 1967, the War of Attrition , and the Yom-Kippur War of 1973. Yitzhak Rabin has called Sharon "the greatest field commander in our history". Upon retirement from the military, Sharon entered politics, joining the Likud party, and served in a number of ministerial posts in Likud-led governments in 1977–92 and 1996–99. As Minister of Defense, he directed the 1982 Lebanon War . An official enquiry found that he bore "personal responsibility" for the Sabra and Shatila massacre and recommended that he be removed as Defense Minister. His role in the massacre led to him being known as the "Butcher of Beirut" among Arabs. From the 1970s through to the 1990s, Sharon championed construction of Israeli settlements in the West Bank and Gaza Strip . He became the leader of the Likud in 2000, and served as Israel's prime minister from 2001 to 2006. However, as Prime Minister, in 2004–05 Sharon orchestrated Israel's unilateral disengagement from the Gaza Strip . Facing stiff opposition to this policy within the Likud, in November 2005 he left Likud to form a new party, Kadima . He had been expected to win the next election and was widely interpreted as planning on "clearing Israel out of most of the West Bank", in a series of unilateral withdrawals. After suffering a stroke on 4 January 2006, Sharon remained in a permanent vegetative state until his death in January 2014. The New York Times . The New York Times . The Times of Israel . Flashpoints in the War on Terrorism .

Prime Minister of Israel from 2001 to 2006 Ariel Sharon ( ; ; Ariʼēl Sharōn ; also known by his diminutive Arik, אָרִיק ‎; 26 February 1928 – 11 January 2014) was an Israeli general and politician who served as the 11th prime minister of Israel from March 2001 until April 2006. Born in Kfar Malal in Mandatory Palestine to Russian Jewish immigrants, he rose in the ranks of the Israeli Army from its creation in 1948, participating in the 1948 Palestine war as platoon commander of the Alexandroni Brigade and taking part in several battles. Sharon became an instrumental figure in the creation of Unit 101 and the reprisal operations , including the 1953 Qibya massacre , as well as in the 1956 Suez Crisis , the Six-Day War of 1967, the War of Attrition , and the Yom-Kippur War of 1973. Yitzhak Rabin called Sharon "the greatest field commander in our history". Upon leaving the military, Sharon entered politics, joining the Likud party, and served in a number of ministerial posts in Likud-led governments in 1977–92 and 1996–99. As Minister of Defense, he directed the 1982 Lebanon War . An official enquiry found that he bore "personal responsibility" for the Sabra and Shatila massacre of Palestinian refugees, for which he became known as the "Butcher of Beirut" among Arabs. He was subsequently removed as defense minister. From the 1970s through to the 1990s, Sharon championed construction of Israeli settlements in the West Bank and Gaza Strip . He became the leader of the Likud in 1999, and in 2000, amid campaigning for the 2001 prime ministerial election , made a controversial visit to the Al-Aqsa complex on the Temple Mount , triggering the Second Intifada . He subsequently defeated Ehud Barak in the election and served as Israel's prime minister from 2001 to 2006. As Prime Minister, Sharon orchestrated the construction of the Israeli West Bank barrier in 2002–03 and Israel's unilateral disengagement from the Gaza Strip in 2005. Facing stiff opposition to the latter policy within the Likud, in November 2005 he left Likud to form a new party, Kadima . He had been expected to win the next election and was widely interpreted as planning on "clearing Israel out of most of the West Bank", in a series of unilateral withdrawals. Following a stroke on 4 January 2006, Sharon remained in a permanent vegetative state until his death in 2014. Sharon remains a highly polarizing figure in Middle Eastern history. Israelis almost universally revere Sharon as a war hero and statesman, whereas Palestinians and Human Rights Watch have criticized him as a war criminal, with the latter lamenting that he was never held accountable. The New York Times . The New York Times . The Times of Israel . Flashpoints in the War on Terrorism . Five things to know" .

Prime Minister of Israel from 2001 to 2006 For the Israeli architect, see Arieh Sharon . Ariel Sharon ( Hebrew : אֲרִיאֵל שָׁרוֹן [aʁiˈ(ʔ)el ʃaˈʁon] ; also known by his diminutive Arik , אָרִיק ; 26 February 1928 – 11 January 2014) was an Israeli general and politician who served as the prime minister of Israel from March 2001 until April 2006. Born in Kfar Malal in Mandatory Palestine to Russian Jewish immigrants, he rose in the ranks of the Israeli Army from its creation in 1948, participating in the 1948 Palestine war as platoon commander of the Alexandroni Brigade and taking part in several battles. Sharon became an instrumental figure in the creation of Unit 101 and the reprisal operations , including the 1953 Qibya massacre , as well as in the 1956 Suez Crisis , the Six-Day War of 1967, the War of Attrition , and the Yom-Kippur War of 1973. Yitzhak Rabin called Sharon "the greatest field commander in our history". Upon leaving the military, Sharon entered politics, joining the Likud party, and served in a number of ministerial posts in Likud-led governments in 1977–92 and 1996–99. As Minister of Defense, he directed the 1982 Lebanon War . An official enquiry found that he bore "personal responsibility" for the Sabra and Shatila massacre of Palestinian refugees, for which he became known as the "Butcher of Beirut" among Arabs. He was subsequently removed as defense minister. From the 1970s through to the 1990s, Sharon championed construction of Israeli settlements in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip . He became the leader of the Likud in 1999, and in 2000, amid campaigning for the 2001 prime ministerial election , made a controversial visit to the Al-Aqsa complex on the Temple Mount , triggering the Second Intifada . He subsequently defeated Ehud Barak in the election and served as Israel's prime minister from 2001 to 2006. As Prime Minister, Sharon orchestrated the construction of the Israeli West Bank barrier in 2002–2003 and Israel's unilateral disengagement from the Gaza Strip in 2005. Facing stiff opposition to the latter policy within the Likud, in November 2005 he left Likud to form a new party, Kadima . He had been expected to win the next election and was widely interpreted as planning on "clearing Israel out of most of the West Bank", in a series of unilateral withdrawals. Following a stroke on 4 January 2006, Sharon remained in a permanent vegetative state until his death in 2014. Sharon remains a highly polarizing figure in Middle Eastern history. Israelis almost universally revere Sharon as a war hero and statesman, whereas Palestinians and Human Rights Watch have criticized him as a war criminal, with the latter lamenting that he was never held accountable. The New York Times . The New York Times . The Times of Israel . Flashpoints in the War on Terrorism . Five things to know" .