Ariel Sharon (Hebrew: אֲרִיאֵל שָׁרוֹן, also known by his diminutive Arik אָרִיק) (born Ariel Scheinermann on 27 February 1928) is a former Israeli Prime Minister and military leader whose political career was ended by a massive stroke that he suffered in early 2006.
Sharon served as Prime Minister from March 2001 until April 2006, though the powers of his office were exercised by acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert following Sharon's stroke on 4 January 2006. At that time, Sharon fell into a coma; as of July 2007, he is currently in a persistent vegetative state.
During his lengthy career, Sharon was a highly controversial figure among many factions, both inside and outside Israel. His supporters view him as a leader who strove to establish peace without sacrificing Israel's security. Many Israelis likewise consider him a war hero who helped defend the country during some of its greatest struggles. Some of his critics have sought to prosecute him as a war criminal for alleged crimes related to the Sabra and Shatila massacre during the 1982 Lebanon War, for which the Kahan Commission held him both 'indirectly' and 'personally' responsible. While no Israelis carried out killings, the investigation found that Sharon was personally responsible for the massacre due to negligence and complacency. Sharon was dismissed as Defense Minister as a result. Nevertheless, Sharon remained a leading figure in the Likud Party, and held various senior cabinet and party posts, ultimately becoming party leader in 1999 and Prime Minister in 2001.
During his tenure as Prime Minister, Sharon's policies caused a rift within the Likud Party, and Sharon ultimately left Likud to form a new party called Kadima. He became the first Prime Minister of Israel who did not belong to either Labor or Likud — the two parties that have traditionally dominated Israeli politics. The new party created by Sharon, with Olmert having stepped in as its leader, won the most Knesset seats in the 2006 elections, and is now the senior coalition partner in the Israeli government.