Ariel Sharon, Israel's 11th prime minister, died in a hospital Saturday. He was 85.
Sharon was a general with a reputation for being hard-charging before he entered into politics. He held multiple top posts in the government, and ultimately served as prime minister from 2001 to 2006.
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In addition to serving as prime minister, Sharon was Israel's Minister of Defense; Minister of Industry, Trade and Labour; Minister of Housing and Construction; Minister of Energy and Water Resources and Minister of Foreign Affairs. For his military prowess and decisions as Minister of Defense, Sharon earned nicknames such as "The Bulldozer," "Lion of God" and "The Butcher of Beirut."
The New York Times calls Sharon "one of the most influential figures in Israel’s history."
Although he spent most of his career and life championing Israeli expansion and settlement of parts of Palestine, Sharon unexpectedly reversed his position in 2005, when he ordered all of Israel's settlers and troops to withdraw from Gaza.
Sharon suffered a major stroke while serving as prime minister in 2006. He remained hospitalized in a coma until his death. The Times reports that one of Sharon's two surviving sons, Gilad Sharon, told reporters outside the hospital near Tel Aviv that his father “went when he decided to go.”
U.S. President Barack Obama offered condolences to Sharon's family and the people of Israel in a statement released Saturday. Obama also took the opportunity to reassert his goal for peace between Israel and Palestine.
"We reaffirm our unshakable commitment to Israel’s security and our appreciation for the enduring friendship between our two countries and our two peoples," Obama said. "We continue to strive for lasting peace and security for the people of Israel, including through our commitment to the goal of two states living side-by-side in peace and security."
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