Former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon dies at 85
January 11, 2014: Israeli leader Ariel Sharon died today, at the age of 85.
Sharon suffered a stroke in 2006 and fell into an irreversible coma, a state in which he was for the past 8 years. At the time he suffered the stroke he served as the 11th Prime Minister of Israel.
Sharon, an iconic figure fought in three wars before entering politics.
He was born in 1926 in Kfar-Malal, which was back then under the British Mandate to Palestine.
In 1973 Sharon was a retired Major General of the IDF, when he was called back to duty with the break out of the Yom Kippur War. He led IDF forces on the southern front which had collapsed under Egyptian surprise attack and pushed the Egyptian forces over the Suez Canal.
In 1981, after the tenth Knesset elections, Sharon was appointed Defense Minister.
He initiated in 1982, with government approval the controversial Lebanon War, which began as a military operation to eliminate terrorist organizations in southern Lebanon that threatened the residents of northern Israel.
Further into the 80's and 90's, Sharon served as an MK and held a number of ministerial positions in the Israeli governments.
In 2001, Sharon won Israeli elections and became the Prime Minister of Israel.
He led Israel's 2005 unilateral disengagement plan from the Gaza Strip, while shocking his political base by expelling Jewish settlers from 21 Gaza settlements and from four on the West Bank.
On 18 December 2005, Sharon suffered a mild stroke. Two weeks later, on January 4, 2006, he suffered a second severe stroke which led to his state of coma.
His death was announced this afternoon (January 11), at Tel-Hashomer hospital where he was admitted.
Sharon suffered a stroke in 2006 and fell into an irreversible coma, a state in which he was for the past 8 years. At the time he suffered the stroke he served as the 11th Prime Minister of Israel.
Sharon, an iconic figure fought in three wars before entering politics.
He was born in 1926 in Kfar-Malal, which was back then under the British Mandate to Palestine.
In 1973 Sharon was a retired Major General of the IDF, when he was called back to duty with the break out of the Yom Kippur War. He led IDF forces on the southern front which had collapsed under Egyptian surprise attack and pushed the Egyptian forces over the Suez Canal.
In 1981, after the tenth Knesset elections, Sharon was appointed Defense Minister.
He initiated in 1982, with government approval the controversial Lebanon War, which began as a military operation to eliminate terrorist organizations in southern Lebanon that threatened the residents of northern Israel.
Further into the 80's and 90's, Sharon served as an MK and held a number of ministerial positions in the Israeli governments.
In 2001, Sharon won Israeli elections and became the Prime Minister of Israel.
He led Israel's 2005 unilateral disengagement plan from the Gaza Strip, while shocking his political base by expelling Jewish settlers from 21 Gaza settlements and from four on the West Bank.
On 18 December 2005, Sharon suffered a mild stroke. Two weeks later, on January 4, 2006, he suffered a second severe stroke which led to his state of coma.
His death was announced this afternoon (January 11), at Tel-Hashomer hospital where he was admitted.
