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| Late Sharon |
JERUSALEM (AP) — Israelis from all
walks of life flocked to parliament Sunday to catch a glimpse of Ariel
Sharon's coffin and pay their final respects to the iconic former prime
minister and general.
A stream of
visitors ranging from former army comrades to political allies to
citizens who only knew him from afar remembered Sharon as a decisive
leader, for better or for worse, and one of the final heroes of Israel's
founding generation.
"Words
escape me. He was just a man who was larger than life," said a choked-up
Shlomo Mann, 68, who served under Sharon's command in the 1973 Mideast
war. "Those who didn't know him from up close can't truly understand
what a legend he was. There will never be anyone else like him."
The 85-year-old Sharon died Saturday eight years after a devastating stroke left him in a coma.
In
a career that stretched across much of Israel's 65-year existence, his
life was closely intertwined with the country's history. He was a leader
known for his exploits on the battlefield, masterminding Israel's
invasion of Lebanon, building Jewish settlements on war-won land and
then, late in life, destroying some that he deemed no longer useful when
he withdrew from the Gaza Strip.
As
one of Israel's most famous generals, the man known as "Arik" was
renowned for bold tactics and an occasional refusal to obey orders. To
his supporters, he was a war hero; to his critics, a war criminal.
As prime minister late in
life, he was embraced by the public as a grandfatherly figure who
provided stability in times of turmoil.
"Arik
was, first and foremost, a warrior and a commander, among the Jewish
people's greatest generals in the current era and throughout its
history," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a fierce political rival of
Sharon in the Likud Party, said Sunday. "I think he represents the
generation of Jewish warriors that arose for our people upon the
resumption of our independence."
President
Shimon Peres — a lifelong friend and rival — and former Prime Minister
Ehud Olmert, who succeeded Sharon after the 2006 stroke, were among
those who paused before the closed flag-draped coffin displayed in a
plaza in front of the Knesset and surrounded by an honor guard. But the
event was mostly an occasion for everyday Israelis to honor him.
With tears streaking behind dark sunglasses, 44-year-old Anat Amir said she felt compelled to bid farewell.
"These
are tears of pain and parting but also joy in a way for him since now
he can finally rest," she said. "He was a leader you could count on,
someone you could trust. He looked into the future, relied on the
experience of the past and had the courage to make tough decisions and
carry them out."
Norman Zysblat, 64, called Sharon a "hero of Israel," whose
death left the 90-year-old Peres as perhaps the last remnant of Israel's
greatest generation. He recalled crossing the Suez Canal in 1973 under
Sharon's command, a move widely seen as turning a war against Egypt and
Syria in Israel's favor.
"I
saw and felt firsthand the strength he gave the soldiers. He was the one
who pushed ahead and provided the spirit," Zysblat said. "He was one of
the greats. When the history of Israel is written, he will be in the
first row."
News of Sharon dominated Israeli newspapers. Israel's three main television stations all broadcast the memorial live.
A
state memorial is planned for Monday at parliament followed by a
funeral service at Sharon's ranch in southern Israel. Under Jewish law,
funerals are to be carried out as soon as possible. But in a ritual
reserved only for former prime ministers and presidents of Israel, the
coffin lays in state at parliament to allow citizens to bid farewell.
U.S.
Vice President Joe Biden, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair,
Czech Prime Minister Jiri Rusnok, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter
Steinmeier and others are expected to attend Monday's ceremonies.
Sharon's
life will be remembered for its three distinct stages: First, was his
eventful and controversial time in uniform, including leading a deadly
raid in the West Bank that killed 69 Arabs, as well as his heroics in
the 1973 Mideast war.
Then
came his years as a vociferous political operator who helped create
Israel's settlement movement and masterminded the divisive Lebanon
invasion in 1982. He was branded as indirectly responsible for the
massacre of hundreds of Palestinians at the Sabra and Chatilla refugee
camps outside Beirut when his troops allowed allied Lebanese militias
into the camps. An uproar over the massacre cost him his job.
Yet
ultimately he transformed himself into a prime minister and statesman,
capped by a dramatic 2005 withdrawal from the Gaza Strip. Sharon
appeared to be cruising toward re-election when he suffered his stroke
in January 2006.
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