Major events in the life of Ariel Sharon
JERUSALEM (AP) - A look at the life of Ariel Sharon, Israel’s former prime minister who died Saturday at the age of 85:
Feb. 26, 1928: Born to Russian immigrants in farming community of Kfar Malal north of Tel Aviv.
1948: Having joined Jewish guerrillas at age 14 in war against British rule in Palestine, Sharon serves with distinction in Israel’s war of independence and is severely wounded in battle.
1953: Heads Unit 101, force carrying out reprisals for Palestinian attacks. After slaying of Israeli woman and her two children, Sharon’s troops blow up more than 40 houses in Qibya, a village in the Jordan-ruled West Bank. Sixty-nine Arabs die, about half of them women and children. Sharon says later he thought the houses were empty.
1956: Rebuked after engaging his troops in what commanders regard as unnecessary and unplanned battle with Egyptian forces at Mitla Pass in Sinai Peninsula.
1957: Studies at Staff College in Britain.
1967: Receives broad praise for command of armored division in Israel’s “Six-Day War,” in which Israel captures West Bank, Gaza Strip, Golan Heights and Sinai Peninsula.
1971: Placed in charge of curbing Arab violence in Gaza Strip. More than 100 suspected militants killed and hundreds detained. Attacks by Palestinians go from 34 in June to one in December.
1973: Commands drive by Israeli troops across Suez Canal into Egypt during Mideast war. Daring assault cuts off Egypt’s 3rd Army and helps turn tide in fighting. His head grazed by bullet during fighting.
December 1973: Elected to parliament on Likud ticket.
1974: Resigns from Parliament.
1975: Appointed by Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin as an adviser on security affairs.
1977: Likud wins election and is joined by Sharon, who has been elected to parliament on separate ticket.
1977-81: As Menachem Begin’s agriculture minister, begins push to build dozens of Jewish settlements in West Bank and Gaza Strip, despite Palestinian and international protest. Settlements are one of most contentious issues in current peace negotiations.
April 25, 1982: As defense minister, overrides resistance from Jewish settlers in Yamit settlement during Israeli withdrawal from Sinai Peninsula, and has their homes bulldozed to rubble.
June 6, 1982: Engineers Israel’s invasion of Lebanon, portraying it as quick, limited strike to drive Palestinian fighters from Israel’s northern border. But Israeli troops advance to outskirts of Beirut and war escalates. Fighting continues in southern Lebanon until Israel withdraws in 2000.
Sept. 16-18, 1982: Loses job as defense minister after Israeli-allied Christian militia kills hundreds of Palestinians at refugee camps in west Beirut, sparking international outrage.
1986: Sharon wins libel suit against Time Magazine in U.S., where a jury finds the magazine made a factual error in claiming a secret Israeli report said Sharon had discussed revenge with Lebanese officials before the massacre. But the jury says Time is not liable for monetary damages.
1997: An Israeli court dismisses another libel suit filed by Sharon against an Israeli journalist who wrote that Sharon had deceived former Prime Minister Menachem Begin in leading the country to war. An appeal is also rejected.
Sept. 28, 2000: As opposition leader, Sharon visits Jerusalem’s Temple Mount to emphasize Israel’s claim of sovereignty. Muslims, who call site the Noble Sanctuary, erupt in violence. Palestinians say Sharon’s visit triggered resumption of uprising, while his supporters contend violence was already planned by Palestinians.
Feb. 6, 2001: In midst of political crisis, wins landslide victory over premier Ehud Barak in election for prime minister.
2003: Wins early elections and remains prime minister. Later starts construction of Israel’s separation barrier in West Bank in response to wave of Palestinian suicide bombings.
Feb. 8, 2005: Announces, with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, cease-fire in Palestinian uprising.
Aug. 17, 2005: Begins unilateral withdrawal from Gaza and small part of West Bank, after reversing decades of support for Jewish settlement construction and expansion.
November 2005: Amid growing dissent within Likud over Gaza withdrawal, leaves party with many key allies to found centrist Kadima with eye on elections set for following March 28.
Dec. 18, 2005: Suffers mild stroke, leaves hospital two days later.
Jan. 4, 2006: On eve of scheduled heart procedure, suffers massive stroke and falls into coma.
May 28, 2006: Sharon, still in a coma, is transferred from Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem to a long-term-care facility at Tel Aviv’s Chaim Sheba Medical Center.
Aug. 14, 2006: Doctors announce that condition has greatly deteriorated.
Nov. 12, 2010: Sharon is moved to his ranch in southern Israel. But days later, he is returned to Sheba.
Oct. 25, 2011: One of Sharon’s sons says his father can move his eyes and fingers when spoken to.
Jan. 27, 2013: Medical experts say new tests show significant brain activity by Sharon, but say he remains in a deep coma.
Jan. 11, 2014: Dies at age 85. SOURCE
When Nelson Mandela died Barack Hussein Obama beat a path to South Africa to honor a murderer. Will he beat a path to Israel to honor a man of honor?
Rest in Peace Sir, you have earned it!
And as expected: Joe Biden to lead delegation to Sharon’s funeral
I think you know the answer to that one.
BZ
A leader who literally fought for his people. Him and Bibi are men you can truly admire.
It takes men of such courage and character to make history.
Fred, we all know the occupier in the White House and his accomplice Joey The Talking Chicken Biden will be too busy playing golf to attend Ariel Sharon’s funeral. Besides, there’s no pork buffet for them to dip into.
He was truly a “lion” of Israel.
JDL
Notice the most respected leaders, even Putin, were manly men who fought, and I mean physcally as well as politically, for their country, loved women, believed in something beyond themselves, and were REAL MEN.
obama is a metrosexual at best, and more than likely, a homosexual, who wears mom jeans, rides a girly bike, throws like a girl, and would probably break down and cry if he had to do anything more physical than golf. He was elected by ignorance, lies, guilt, political correctness and ballot box stuffing.
As sad as the death of this man is, it could not come at a better time, as the whole world will see just how obama gladly jammed his tongue up the rear end of the dead carcass of the racist commie murderer mandela, and compare it to the treatment of a real man who deserves more respect for the fungus of his pinky toenail than all of mandella.
I will now gladly wear my “racist” badge with honor, as of course, the only reason I dislike obama is because of the color of his skin and not because he is a muslim, commie, racist panzy that hates America, christians, capitalism, and the entire American way of life. Although, for the record, I hate the white part of him just as much.
Well, if YOU are a racist then I am too… Can’t fault so much as one word here.. It’s all right on the mark..
Shalom Sir, you were a true friend of America, and a warrior. Which answers why your funeral will not be attended by the imposter in chief…
We can be certain that Fidel is still alive until Airforce One is spotted circling Aeropuerto Havana. At least Obalama ‘s arrogance, apathy and indifference towards Israel and its great warrior Sharon will prevent him from desecrating his memorial service.
Mr. Sharon was a man who stood on principle, whatever the wind blew his way. We need men like that in our own country to come forward and take leadership positions. Rest in peace, Mr. Sharon, and blessings to your family and friends.