Israel mourning for Ariel Sharon

Ariel Sharon was a remarkable figure in Israeli history. He fought for independence in 1948-1949, established Israel's first special forces after he returned to the army in 1953, freed the Gaza Strip from terrorists in 1969-1973, and later retired from the military in 1973, establishing the Likud party, one of the country's most influential political forces.

In 2004 Sharon, who was the Israeli prime minister at the time, suggested that Israel should leave the Gaza Strip and dismantle the settlements established by the Israelis. The idea was a great surprise to all parties involved in the conflict. Now it is clear that this move was a fatal mistake.

In 2006 Sharon suffered a stroke and has remained in a coma until his death on January 11, 2014.

Sharon once said in an interview that no solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is possible, until both parties are truly ready to live in peace. However a temporary way out of the crisis is possible, he believed. According to Sharon, the Palestinians may have a state in the present bodies, while the legal status of Jerusalem should be defined only in 30 or 50 years.

Pyotr Lyukimson reporting from Israel
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