BIDEN TO HEAD U.S. DELEGATION TO STATE FUNERAL - "Fierce Defender of a Strong Israel Dies: A Champion of Zionism and a Cunning General," by N.Y. Times' Ethan Bronner : "Ariel Sharon, one of the most influential figures in Israel's history, a military commander and political leader who at the height of his power redrew the country's electoral map only to suffer a severe stroke from which he never recovered, died Saturday in a hospital near Tel Aviv. He was 85. ... A cunning and unforgiving general who went on to hold nearly every top government post, including prime minister at the time he was struck ill, Mr. Sharon spent his final years in what his doctors defined as a state of minimal consciousness [Jerusalem Post says 'comatose']. ..."He had long shown disdain for diplomacy, yet [in his final years is power] calculated his new path directly in line with what he thought the United States would accept and support."
http://goo.gl/3nDw5f --JEFFREY GOLDBERG, on Bloomberg View, "Ariel Sharon Never Changed": "This idea that Sharon had changed in some profound and mystifying way was popular not only with his critics on the right, but even among some of those in the Israeli center, and on the left. In the coming days you will read that the Gaza withdrawal, and the cleaving of the Israeli right that it triggered -- Sharon and his allies would leave the Likud party, and form their own, Kadima -- represented a reversal of everything Sharon had once stood for. This is wrong: The unilateral evacuation was of a piece with everything he had previously done."
http://goo.gl/b4yxi2 --JERUSALEM POST: "A state funeral will be organized for Sharon by the Prime Minister's Office. Current and former world leaders are expected to come to Israel for the funeral. His body will lie in state at the Knesset before the funeral on his Negev ranch beside his wife Lily, who died in 2000."
http://goo.gl/9kUqzm --"STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT: On behalf of the American people, Michelle and I send our deepest condolences to the family of former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and to the people of Israel on the loss of a leader who dedicated his life to the State of Israel. We reaffirm our unshakable commitment to Israel's security and our appreciation for the enduring friendship between our two countries and our two peoples. We continue to strive for lasting peace and security for the people of Israel, including through our commitment to the goal of two states living side-by-side in peace and security. As Israel says goodbye to Prime Minister Sharon, we join with the Israeli people in honoring his commitment to his country."
www.politico.com
Posted By: Jen Fad
Saturday, January 11th 2014 at 7:49PM
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