As Ariel Sharon's political career comes to a close, the time has come to honor the life of this remarkable man. The story of his life reveals a man of many characteristics: defender of country, over-aggressive commando and general, compassionate statesmen, firebrand conservative hawk and ultimately a practical and even dovish peacemaker.
Who would have thought that a man known earlier in his career as "the Bulldozer" would be such a pragmatist in his later life? The even bigger question is, who would have foreseen a former member of the Israeli far-right taking criticism from even some of those on the left? Despite the lack of moves toward peace on the part of Palestinian leadership, Sharon accepted the road map for peace sponsored by the European Union, the United Nations and the United States, and started leading Israel down this course.
In an unprecedented move toward peace, Sharon jeopardized his political career in the best interest of his countrymen and everyone in the Middle East. In 2005, Sharon unilaterally withdrew Israeli troops from the Gaza Strip and parts of the West Bank and turned many areas over to Palestinian control. Only a man like Sharon, who combined right-wing credentials and left-wing policies with pragmatism, could pull off a move like that.
Sharon is able to do this because he is a larger-than-life figure in Israeli politics. As The New York Times observed, "Israel has never fought a war without Ariel Sharon in the front lines or in command, or both." Having led his country in the fight for independence and in defending Israel in the face of numerous invasions and against ever-present Palestinian terrorism, Sharon has the credentials to make peace. He has the support of such a wide swath of Israeli voters because he appeals to both sides of the political spectrum (a lesson which some in the U.S. might do well to learn). He appeals to the left because he is willing to engage in the classic "land-for-peace" trade and has reversed precedent by unilaterally moving toward peace, the theory being that tangible benefits will give the Palestinian government the credibility and the power to make terrorists lay down their arms. He appeals to the right because that is where his history lies: founding the Likud party, originally building settlements in the West Bank and Gaza, supporting a security barrier and taking a hard-line approach against terrorism.
Even though Sharon has united most of the Israeli populace under his newly-created Centrist party, Kadima, things are far from easy. Indeed, even the left cringed when the pullout from Gaza was followed by Hamas claims that "the blood of our martyrs" drove the Israelis out, or that soon the whole coast of Israel would be under Palestinian control, as Palestinian prime minister Mahmoud Abbas declared. The right was incensed at the very idea of ceding land to a government and a people who have done nothing but declare never-ending war on not only the Israeli army but the state of Israel and all its people: women, elderly and children. Even to the objective observer, scenes of the Israeli army forcibly evicting Israeli settlers from their own homes and villages was a terrible sight.
Nevertheless, the Middle East seems closer to peace than at any time in recent memory.
Although it is too early to tell for sure whether he will be able to resume the post of Prime Minister, it is definitely not too early to hail Sharon for his profound contributions to peace. And as Sharon fades from the political picture, we can only hope that acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert will be able to hold Kadima together so Israel can move forward as the party name implies. With the popular politicians Tzipi Livni and Shimon Peres also in the equation for the newly created Centrist party, polls still predict that Kadima will dominate in the March elections. We must hope the polls are correct.
With Sharon's legacy of resolutely demanding defense and pragmatically seeking peace, it seems that Kadima and Israel will be able to move forward. Now, for the first time, peace may be on the horizon for Israel.
