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Ariel Sharon, the controversial self-styled “warrior” who dominated Israel’s military and political landscape for decades, has died eight years after a massive stroke left him in a vegetative state.
The former army general and prime minister suffered multiple organ failure over the new year. His sons were at his bedside at the Sheba Medical Centre, a long-term care facility near Tel Aviv, where Sharon has lain since May 2006.”
Sharon – known as “Arik” to his friends, “the Bulldozer” to his critics – was a giant figure, both literally and metaphorically, in Israel. He was accused of war crimes after between 800 and 2,000 Palestinians were butchered at the Sabra and Shatila refugee camps in 1982 in Lebanon by Phalangist Christians while Israeli forces stood by. Sharon was defence minister at the time.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jan/11/former-israeli-pm-ariel-sharon-dies
