Some hasty thoughts today on the death of former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. Sharon has been in a coma for years and his body finally succumbed. His stubbornness to the end shouldn't come as a surprise because he was an unrelenting and often brutal figure in the history of the nation he loved and defended. As with a number of other political leaders in Israel Sharon was first a military leader. Despite his first name he was no angel and will be remembered for the blunt force with which he acted as a general. The terrible massacre at the Shattila camp in Lebanon 30 years ago when hundreds, perhaps thousands of defenseless residents died while supposedly under Israeli protection will be the darkest stain on his legacy.
It should be noted though that Sharon the pragmatist eventually felt that some form of peace with Palestinians should be brokered and that establishing a Palestinian state rather than being burdened with perpetual occupation was inevitable. It was hardly what most of us would imagine as peace, but he saw that it was the best scenario.
Our denomination and many others would agree, although the way we interpret this is certainly different. It is important to remember as the world acknowledges Ariel Sharon's death.
Well, the best I can do in eleven minutes! What are your observations folks?
2 comments:
How do leaders who allow for "collateral damage" in their attacks sleep at night? To attack and kill "innocents" is deplorable, but to do the same to those under your protection is unthinkable!
Although he was a brilliant general, he has a lot of blood on his hands.
Palestinians referred to Sharon as the Israeli Sadam Hussein. Sharon's deadly attacks against the Arabs goes back even to the 50's. While he offered the Palestinians an interim peace agreement, he never offered a permanent one, and Jewish settlements would continue. And the Golan Heights would not be given back to Syria.
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