It looks like Ariel Sharon may be down for the count. He's had a paralyzing stroke and things aren't looking good for the popular and powerful prime minister of Israel. Surgeons drained the blood from his brain and were cauterizing blood vessels at last word.

Sharon was incredibly strong and recently broke from the party he helped to found, Likud. He'd started a more centrist party to help him move toward a more peaceful resolution with the Palestinian issues.

Elections were slated for March and Sharon is supposed to face both former prime minister Benjamin Netenyahu (Likud) and newly elected Labor leader Amir Peretz.

Palestinians had mixed reactions. Some felt Sharon was their best bet right now and some called his stroke a gift from God.

Sharon had a minor stroke recently and was also morbidly obese coming in at 5'7" and clearing 260 lbs (reports say hed recently lost 6lbs).

The 77-year-old Sharon has been a part of Israel since its inception and as the Washington Post pointed out he's going to be tough to replace. Sharon was involved in every major Israeli military action in one way or another.

Some watchers are suggesting this is probably it for Sharon and he is really the last of the old guard that created Israel. Whether you like Sharon or not, he was a wiley politician and a shrewdleader. As prime ministers go, he was a strong one and his exit from power will leave a powerful vacuum and change the entire dynamic of the middle east. We can only wait and see what will happen.

Technorati Tags: Ariel Sharon, Israel, Palestinians, Benjamin Netenyahu, Amir Peretz

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lol.. he founded no peaceful party. He moved out of gaza to expand further into the west bank. This man is a murdering, butcher that has been a hinderence to the peace process and a thorn in the side of palestine.
 

True enough. Sharon was certainly no saint. His leaving will generate a power vacuum in Israel though and the real question is will the new leadership be moderate and/or progressive or be a hardliner like Netenyanhu.