Guess we should all pray for Ariel Sharon's recovery, simply because I think he is the best chance the Palestinians have for a deal, and peace, ultimately.

I thought he was known to be less diplomatic than his predecessor? A war hawk?

A hawk he is, quite alright, but he's a hawk who knows he has won the battle.

And I believe therefore, with the prompting of George W. Bush, is ready to
give a little to the vanquished, namely the Palestinians, in the form of some of
the land they seek.

The most likely alternative, if he is no more, is that "super hawk" named
Benjamin Netanyahu. Netanyahu leads the camp that believes Ariel Sharon
is giving too much to the Palestinians (can you believe that, ?)

I only wish Arafat and his backers had accepted the truce brokered by Clinton
and Ehud Barak (former Israeli prime minister) back in '99/2000.
It was the best ever deal they could have gotten from the Israelis.

Sharon is the history of the Israeli state. He was injured fighting for Jerusalem in 1948. He led an incursion across Sinai and into Egypt during the 1973 Yom Kippur War. As Defense Minister, he was saddled with responsibility for the massacre of Palestinian refugees at Sabra and Shatila in 1982. The White House today called him “a man of peace,” but within his own country he is known as a warrior, and one finally willing to make the kinds of concessions that only a warrior can make.

So what now? A blogger I know in Israel, Lisa Goldman of On the Face — and certainly no fan of Sharon — said the country feels “rudderless.” Sharon forged his own unique brand of diplomacy, of aggressive, rude disengagement, claiming that he would never relinquish the temple mount, then relinquishing Gaza.

Is (was?) Sharon a mirror of Israel, a fighter who is painfully learning how to give things up? Is he, like Bob Dole or Germany’s Helmut Kohl, the last of the leaders who fought in the old wars? Who has the stature to do what needs to be done next?

Personally, I think that the man will die soon. Maybe within the coming month. And I wish him eternal rest. The truth however remains that Sharon is/was a dinosaur, a creation of the circumstances that lead to the creation of the state of Israel. And ultimately, a victim of the times. 10 years ago Sharon was unsympathetic about the fate of Yithzak Rabin, but now he has also come to give land away to the Palestinians. Why is that? Because when he finally got into the hot seat, he realised what Rabin saw then: the state of Israel cannot continue to fight with the Palestinians ad infinitum! They have to make peace.

When Netanyahu becomes Prime Minister again, he'll reach that realisation. Insh'Allah.

Sharon was a bully, mean MF to the Palestinians! He is gone now. To his credit giving back the land they stole was a good gesture. I hope those idiot Palestinians get there act together and not fall into the trap that Israel has set up for them. When they fail at self governing... the Israelis will move back in and say we told you so. As for Netanyahu, too bad it wasn't him to get what Sharon got.

This should serve as a prime example to Nigerian politicians, I hope Sharon regain his health, but to my Nigerian politicians, you can steal all the money you want and once you loose your health you are hopeless

for those who want to read

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060212/ap_on_re_mi_ea/israel_sharon

Thanks for sharing.

I wish him quick recovery.He is a man of peace.A man who stood up to his own people and gambled his political stand just to see peaceful coexitence in Gaza strip and West Bank(Which is yet to be achieved).Palestinians should pray for his recovery.
For Nigerian politicians,I wonder if anyone of them can undergo such medical operation anywhere inside Nigeria.Y?Lack of facilities.The poor keep dying.

Five months later he is still alive and unconscious.

Seun:

Five months later he is still alive and unconscious.

8 months later he is still alive and conscioushttp://www.canada.com/topics/news/world/story.html?id=3a79bb21-7e11-403a-b4ba-349a2333f35c&k=95261

Sharon was a great man and embodied the resilience and bravery of the people of Isreal.I wish him the best

Great Isreali leaders come and go but the nation of Isreal will remain a beacon of democracy and freedom in a region full of despotic regimes and religious fanatics

let us not quickly forget that the palestinians were created in the image and likeness of God. God loves them too. and will want justice to get to them.

why is it that everybody is talking of peace and nobody is talking of justice

Is this guy still in the state of coma? no be small thing O

rich_john:

Is this guy still in the state of coma? no be small thing O

See how GOD punishes the enemy of Palestine People.

God turns them to 'living-dead'

back2back:

See how GOD punishes the enemy of Palestine People.

God turns them to 'living-dead'

There are thousands of people in coma or in a somewhat vegetative state. Are they all 'enemies of the palestinian people' too?

Show some sensitivity for people with brain damage on life-support. Using a derogatory term such as 'living dead' is entirely stupid.

Is there any political or family purpose why they are still keeping him on the machine? Most people who are brain-dead usually get shut down in 2 weeks or so.

sharon sharon,