BICOM

The funeral of Israel’s former-Prime Minister Ariel Sharon will take place today following the death of the 85-year-old near Tel Aviv on Saturday afternoon.

Sharon had been in a coma since suffering a massive stroke eight years ago and his condition sharply deteriorated. Yesterday’s cabinet meeting opened with a minute’s silence in honour of Sharon before Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu paid tribute to his predecessor, calling Sharon “first and foremost a warrior and a commander, among the Jewish people’s greatest military leaders.” On Saturday, Prime Minister David Cameron called Sharon “one of the most significant figures in Israeli history” and praised his “brave and controversial decisions in pursuit of peace.”

Sharon is an iconic figure in Israeli history. He became Prime Minister as Likud Party leader in 2001 and eventually stemmed the violence of the Second Intifada. In 2003 he accepted the Quartet backed Roadmap to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict based on a two state solution. Sharon then dramatically reversed years of support for settlement expansion by orchestrating Israel’s unilateral withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and four West Bank settlements in 2005.

This came after Sharon had forged a reputation for toughness during a military career which included a pivotal role in battles in the Sinai region during wars in 1967 and 1973. He was instrumental in establishing the Likud party and was a key figure in its settlement expansion policies after it came to power in 1977. He served in various ministerial roles before becoming leader of the Likud in 1999.

Sharon’s coffin lay in state yesterday at the Knesset as thousands of Israelis filed past to pay their respects. US Vice President Joe Biden, former-Prime Minister Tony Blair and Under Secretary of State Hugh Robertson are among the foreign dignitaries set to attend today’s state funeral ceremony at the Knesset. Sharon’s coffin will then be transported to the family’s southern ranch for burial alongside his wife Lilly, who died in 2000.