People
SHARON, Ariel -- Israel's Former Prime Minister
Ariel Sharon, Israel's former Prime Minister, has been part of the Israeli army for more than 25 years and active politician for more than 30 years, only shortly interrupted in 1983, when he resigned as Defense Minister after a government commission found him indirectly responsible for the September 1982 massacre of Palestinians at the Sabra and Shatila refugee camps. Sharon was the driving force behind Israel's settlement construction and its systematic violations of human rights. In early February 2004, at the peak of international criticism of Sharon's project of the Wall, Sharon introduced his "disengagement" plan. (Added 12 September 2003)

Latest News
  • To Palestinians, Sharon was a man of war, not peace, Maureen Clare Murphy (9 January 2006)
  • The whitewashing of Ariel Sharon, Saree Makdisi (8 January 2006)


    Election as Prime Minister
    In a special election held February 6, 2001, Ariel Sharon was elected Prime Minister. He presented his government to the Knesset on March 7, 2001. After calling early elections to the 16th Knesset, which were held on January 28, 2003, Ariel Sharon was charged by the president with the task of forming a government and presented his new government to the Knesset on February 27, 2003.


    Biography
  • Sharon's official biography from the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs with annotations from EI (regularly updated)
  • 55 -- not 35 -- years of occupation, Nigel Parry (5 June 2002)


    Sharon and politics
  • Sharon's "Gaza Disengagement Plan" (early February 2004)
  • Sharon's Wall project
  • "Days of Penitence" (September - October 2004)
  • "Operation Rainbow" (13 May 2004)
  • "Operation Defensive Shield" (March/April 2002)
  • The Sabra and Shatila Massacres (16-18 September 1982)


    Opinion and Analysis
  • A misguided conception, Yacov Ben Efrat (16 January 2006)
  • Setting up Abbas, Jeff Halper (25 October 2005)
  • Dancing to Sharon's tune, Hasan Abu Nimah (29 June 2005)
  • Sharon's minimum solution, Charmaine Seitz (5 May 2005)
  • Behind the smoke screen of the Gaza pullout, Tanya Reinhart (19 April 2005)
  • What Will Be the Sharon Legacy?, Am Johal (29 March 2005)
  • The Israeli Left is Opting for Suicide, Tanya Reinhart (29 March 2005)
  • Sharon shows no respect for democratic principles, Adri Nieuwhof and Jeff Handmaker (21 June 2004)
  • Can Sharon Win By Force?, Mitchell Plitnick (28 April 2004)
  • Sharon's banana republics, Afif Safieh (20 April 2004)
  • Sharon's Appendix: The bankruptcy of Israel's "peace camp", Ali Abunimah (7 November 2002)
  • Sharon's real fence plan, Jonathan Cook (28 March 2003)
  • No Sharon, we won't drop the right of return, Arjan El Fassed (8 May 2003)
  • Sharon's unique definition of occupation, Samar Assad (28 May 2003)
  • Israel practices state terror and Sharon expresses his pride of committing war crimes, PCHR (23 July 2002)
  • Sharon's deadly calculus, Ali Abunimah (19 July 2001)


    The Sabra and Shatila Massacres
    During the 1982 Lebanon War, while Ariel Sharon was Defense minister, the Sabra and Shatila massacre took place. The Kahan Commission investigating these massacres said that he bears personal responsibility and recommended in early 1983 the removal of Sharon from his post as Defense minister.

  • The Sabra and Shatila Massacres (16-18 September 1982)
  • Report of the Commission of Inquiry into the events at the refugee camps in Beirut (8 February 1983)
  • The Complaint Against Ariel Sharon (PDF)
  • The legal case against Sharon


  • Book Review: Sabra and Shatila 1982, Victor Kattan (21 May 2005)
  • Belgian court to rule whether Sabra and Shatila plaintiffs can proceed, Nicholas Blanford (17 September 2003)
  • 21 Septembers Ago, Laurie King-Irani (16 September 2003)
  • Open letter to the survivors of the Sabra and Shatila massacre, Ellen Siegel (29 June 2003)
  • The Sabra and Shatila Case in Belgium: A Guide for the Perplexed, Laurie King-Irani (16 June 2003)
  • Belgium's challenge to war's ancient calculus, Laurie King-Irani (17 February 2003)
  • Putting Sharon on trial: Why Belgium is doing the right thing,
    Ali Abunimah (14 February 2003)
  • How the US Media Forget and Remember an Anniversary, Ali Abunimah (18 September 2002)
  • Transcript - "The Accused"
  • Panorama, BBC (17 June 2001)
  • UNSC 521, condemning the Sabra and Shatila Massacres (19 September 1982)


    The Qibya Massacre
    As commander of the notorious Unit 101, Sharon led attacks on Palestinian villages in which women and children were killed. The massacre in the West Bank village of Qibya, on 14 October 1953, was perhaps the most notorious.

  • From butcher to 'Lion' to Prime Minister of Israel, Jason Burke, The Guardian (4 February 2001)
  • A lifetime credo, Azmi Bishara, Al-Ahram (4 September 2003)
  • Ariel Sharon's Vision: "Maximal Killing", Robin Miller, CommonDreams.org (12 July 2002)
  • UNSC 101, condemning the Qibya Massacre (24 November 1953)


    On the ground
  • "Days of Penitence" (September - October 2004)
  • "Operation Rainbow" (13 May 2004)
  • 15 Palestinians killed, Sharon: 'A great success', Arjan El Fassed (23 July 2003)
  • "Operation Defensive Shield" (March/April 2002)


    Sharon's speeches
  • Statements by US President Bush and Israeli PM Sharon following meeting (11 April 2005)
  • Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's Speech at the Sharm el-Sheikh Summit (8 February 2005)
  • PM Sharon's Knesset Speech Marking the Struggle Against Anti-Semitism (26 January 2005)
  • Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's Address at the Herzliya Conference (16 December 2004)
  • Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's speech to the Knesset on his latest visit to the United States and the Disengagement Plan (22 April 2004)


  • The Bush-Sharon Letters (14 April 2004)
  • White House Transcript of Bush-Sharon press conference regarding Sharon's Gaza "Disengagement" plan (14 April 2004)
  • Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon at the Herzliya Conference (18 December 2003)
  • Inauguration Speech of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon (7 March 2001)


    Humor
  • What's law got to do with it? (5 October 2003)
  • Arafat sends chocolates to Sharon (30 January 2003)
  • Israeli shock as Sharon "comes out" (28 May 2003)


  • Redefining the "seriousness" of war crimes: New precendent may have been set (July 2001)
  • "I hate Israel" Top of the Pops in Palestine "Israel at a loss" says Sharon (June 2001)
  • Israel arrests ringleader of Intifada - Sharon: "victory is imminent" (April 2001)


    Related Links
  • International Campaign for Justice for the Victims of Sabra & Shatila


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