ARIEL SHARON FORMER ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER SUCUUMBS AFTER EIGHT YEAR COMA..............

Ariel Sharon, the Israeli military and political leader of more than half a century. who was a hard as nails General who became Prime Minister of Israel, a dozen years ago and suffered a stroke during his fifth year in office which left him in a coma the last 8 years has died at age 85.  Prime Minister Sharon was party to every political and military endeavor from the founding of the State of Israel in 1948.  He will especially be remembered for leading the 1982 Israeli invasion into Lebanon, by which he garnered the derisive title, "Butcher of Beirut".  However, as Prime Minister he decided to hand over parts of the Gaza Strip and West Bank to the Palestinians, causing him to be rebuffed by his right wing Likud Party.  Sharon proceeded to form his own political party, Kadima - meaning Forward and continued governing until the onset of the stroke in 2006, from which he never regained consciousness. He was declared, "permanently incapacitated" in April 2006; but showed signs of brain activity as late as 2013, when hearing his son's voice and being shown pictures of his home.  The historical legacy and significance of Ariel Sharon for better or worse on behalf of his fellow Jewish People will be analyzed and debated for many more decades to come..............fr.tdp