Last night, Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon suffered what has been described by his doctors as a "significant stroke." According to news reports he is in an intensive care unit after undergoing nine hours of surgery to stem bleeding in his brain. In his absence, Deputy Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has been named interim prime minister - a position he will hold for 100 days. This stroke most likely marks the end of the 77 year-old's political career. Sharon's absence form the political scene comes at a key time as national elections in Israel are slated for March.
Ariel Sharon has played a major role in the history of Israel over the last half century as both a military and civilian leader. In 1953 Sharon lead a commando unit in a raid known as the "Massacre of Kibya" that resulted in the deaths of 69 Palestinian civilians. Sharon rose to national prominence commanding an Israeli armored division to decisive victories in the 1967 and 1973 wars. In 1982 as defense minister, Sharon orders the invasion of Lebanon to root out Palestinian guerrillas. Lebanese Christian malitias allied with Israel killed hundreds of Palestinians in the Sabra and Shatila refugee camps while Israeli forces nearby did nothing to prevent the slaughter. Sharon has also been credited with helping to spark the current Intifada by marching with hundreds of followers on to Jerusalem holy sites in 2000.
International reaction to Sharon's stroke has varied. President Bush made a public statement declaring Sharon "a man of courage and peace" and that "we are praying for his recovery." Reaction from the Middle East was less than sympathetic, with the president of Iran declaring that "Hopefully, the news that the criminal of Sabra and Shatila has joined his ancestors is final." The BBC reports that Palestinians "have reacted with a mixture of apprehension and delight."
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