Ariel Sharon PHOTO:AFP
Sharon's son Gilad announced the death at the hospital where his father had been treated. Doctors there had predicted his imminent death after his health declined sharply last week.
Ministers in Israel's right-wing government, and the political opposition, mourned a tough and wily leader who left big footprints on the region through military invasion, Jewish settlement building on captured land and a shock, unilateral decision to pull Israeli troops and settlers out of the Gaza Strip in 2005.
"The nation of Israel has today lost a dear man, a great leader and a bold warrior," Strategic Affairs Minister Yuval Steinitz said in a statement.
There was no immediate comment on the death from Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, with whom Sharon's Likud party successor, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has been holding US sponsored peace talks.
Meanwhile in Gaza, the Hamas militants whose political fortunes rose with the Israeli withdrawal savored Sharon's demise.
"We have become more confident in victory with the departure of this tyrant," said Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zurhi, whose movement preaches the destruction of the Jewish state.
"Our people today feel extreme happiness at the death and departure of this criminal whose hands were smeared with the blood of our people and the blood of our leaders here and in exile."
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Rest in Peace. You were the leaders of a community who are known for their talent and ability.
@numbersnumbers: Dear numbers, Curious that you did not mention the innocent people no longer with us as a result of Mr Sharon's activities.
@Sexton Blake: Curious you fail to mention the near 6 million Jews slaughtered by the Germans during the widely acknowledged Holocaust that was a prominent feature of the Second World War! That being the prime reason behind the pursuit of "elderly German men well over 80" who are considered war criminals today for their activities back then!
Look who is talking, being an epicentre of terror.
They do say that one should not speak ill of the dead so I will not. However, I cannot in all conscience say anything positive in regard to Mr Sharon, and my views of him are those of negativity. I think Asad Khan had it right in his reply to unbelievable. In countries as far afield as Australia many elderly German men well over 80 are still being pursued, and I have never heard of anybody in Israel or America feeling bad about it. Further, the people being pursued were not involved in such dreadful massacres as those of Sabra/Shatila. Unbelievable, if you care to look up the Sabra/Shatila massacre I should imagine you will not find too many tears being shed for Mr Sharon if in fact anybody survived. In regard to confidence building, there appears to be a never ending supply of Sharon type personnel, who hardly build confidence for the future. .
If anyone remember this man was behind imprisonment of Yasser Arafat and extreme harrasment by even demolishing his home while he ws still in it to prove that even Free Palastine was under Israeli controll to go around as she please. He fell into coma around Arafaat Sickness from suspecious chemical blown into his house, allegedly. Arafat died within a year and Sharon went into come after the stroke at the same time. Now the drama/plot/legend of his life really get the closure. Along with him original European Jews of Zionism Theory who were behind the scheme of creation of Isreal are taking their last breaths too.
@unbelievable: They are cowards and among them are traitors; It is not possible for them to be victorious as they are the enemy and they are the aggressors and are the victims; Unless these Palestinians stop betraying their own like Kashmiris, they too are the same breed with traitors among them; never they will have peace within;
“We have become more confident in victory with the departure of this tyrant,” said Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zurhi, . If the death of an 85 year old man who has been in a coma for 8 years builds your confidence then your either a coward and/or idiot.
Game,s over Mr sharon,