SHARON, Ariel (Sharon Ariel)

(p. 1928)
Born September 27, 1928 in Kfar Malale (Palestine) in a family originating from Central Europe. This name Sheinerman. The age of fourteen entered the 'Khagani' - an illegal military organization of Jewish settlers. During the British Mandate in 1947, he served in the British police. Participated in the first Arab-Israeli war of 1948, . military conflict with Jordan (1953), . in hostilities in the Suez Crisis (1956) (commander of the parachute brigade), . in the Six Day War of 1967 (the commander of an armored division) and the War of Yom Kippur "(Yom Kippur), 1973 (the commander of an armored division, . although in 1971, resigned), . as well as in numerous military clashes in the Gaza Strip and West Bank r.Iordan,
. He studied at the Jewish University in Jerusalem, in 1956 - in the Command and Staff College in Kamberli (UK). In 1966 he graduated from Tel-Aviv University, receiving degrees in. After the Yom Kippur War, engaged in political activities, one of the organizers of the block Likud ( "Unity"). Served as Security Adviser (1975-1977) and Minister of Agriculture, responsible for the expansion of Israeli settlements in Arab territories (1977), in the offices of J. and M. Rabin, Begin. In 1977 he became a member of the Knesset. In 1982 he was appointed defense minister, led the Israeli army incursions into Lebanon to destroy the bases of the armed Palestinian factions. From 1983 to 1998 served as Minister of Trade and Industry, Minister of Construction, Minister of Infrastructure and, finally, the Minister of Foreign Affairs. After the defeat Netanyahu in the elections became the leader of Likud. September 28, 2000, visited the Temple Mount on Arab side of the Old City of Jerusalem, . happened to spot a conflict between the Arabs and several bodyguards Sharon was viewed by Palestinians as an insult, . significantly complicate the Arab-Israeli relations, and destroyed the plans for the transfer of the valley r.Iordan in control of the Palestinian Authority,
. In October 2000, Sharon accused Arafat in the creation, under the guise of police and special services, the regular army, disposing antitank rocket launchers and anti-aircraft missiles, and the distribution of the large number of small arms. In January 2001 he stated that he agrees on the establishment of limited Palestinian autonomy (ie. subject to control by Israel of all Palestinian relations with third countries, as well as issues of military and civil aviation). In February 2001 elections, Sharon defeated Barak was elected prime minister. As prime minister declared a so-called. 'policy of restraint', the rejection of comprehensive and definitive agreements and the gradual move towards normalization of relations, provided the refusal of Palestinians from the policy of terrorism and desire for hegemony in the region.
. Nicknamed "Arik-BULLDOZER '
. Not about any of the current Israeli policy can say that they are peculiar "internal contradictions"
. One of them - the leader of the right Likud of Ariel Sharon.
This plump man of medium height with blazing eyes occasionally evoke the strong likes and dislikes at the same time from different sectors of society. The reason for that - his position in the political and military matters. According to many observers, today it represents (even in civilian clothes suit) "hawk" in military uniform.
"Arik-bulldozer" (so called Sharon's party mates) - Party all the wars that led Israel for 50 years of its existence. At one time he was the youngest colonel in the IDF (Israel Defense Forces). He rose from corporal to general. He held ministerial posts of agriculture, defense, industry, construction, infrastructure, and finally, the Minister of Foreign Affairs.
. Many Israelis consider him a national hero and even a symbol of Israel.
. Ariel Sheinerman was born in 1928 in a family originating from Central Europe
. His parents lived on a farm north of Tel Aviv and raised her son to the socialist dogma. Later, he took the name in Hebrew - Sharon and spent his whole life in Labor, which was dominated by the idea of Zionism.
At age 14, joined Khagani ( "Defense") - an underground military organization of Jewish settlers in Palestine. In 1947, before the proclamation of the State of Israel, was called up by the British police.
. When, in 1948 began the first Arab-Israeli war (in Israel it is called "War of Independence") Sharon, without finishing his studies at the agronomist, went to the front
. He was twice seriously wounded, but always returned to the system.
At the age of 22 he became commander of the Intelligence Unit. But pokomandovat almost did not have: he was sent to two years in the Jewish University, where he studied history and problems of the East.
After graduating in 1953 he was assigned to form a special unit "101". It became the prototype of "Sayeret Matkal" - the elite Special Forces units in the IDF General Staff. Created as a response to Palestinian terrorists, the unit, terrifying, numbered only 45 people and did not last long
. - Our team was always ready to strike back - later recalled Sharon, who drove his "commando" in the Arab territories to the punitive raids
.
Militants of the office were rude, cruel, and ... adored by his commander. At that time, he learned a lot about the peculiarities of the Arabs and how to combat them. This has had a decisive influence on his outlook and approach to the Arab-Israeli conflict, which in turn affected the point of view, Sharon's question, what should Israel's response to the terrorist acts of the Arabs.
. In practice, his views were expressed during the retaliation carried out in the period prior to the Sinai Campaign in 1956
. Some of these shares, he personally led. In addition, the commander of paratroops who took part in operations.
The most infamous chapter in the history departments "101" units is connected with the raid on the Jordanian village Kibby night, October 14, 1953. In response to the murder of a Jewish woman and her two children militants with the support of Sharon's regular troops entered the village, having with a large quantity of explosives. They blew up 50 houses. Most of the 1,500 residents fled, but the explosion killed 69 people, including hiding in the homes of women and children.
A few years after the incident, which caused a strong international response, Sharon spoke of him as "random tragedies", which led to civilian casualties. However, this incident had not damaged the reputation of the future general.
During the Sinai Campaign, he was commander of the parachute brigade. Immediately after the end of hostilities he was sent to England to study at the Command and Staff College.
Returning to Israel, Sharon has for some time engaged in manual work on the organization of combat training. Then he moved to the armored forces, and in 1962 he was appointed commander of the armored brigade.
Two years later he was appointed Head of the General Staff training. Some time later, he again took study leave and is studying law at Tel Aviv University.
During the Six Day War, which began June 5, 1967, Sharon led the armored corps, over the position of Egyptian troops. A year later, feeling that the pace of his career advancement has slowed, he began to think about retirement.
Before the elections to the Knesset (Israeli parliament) in 1969, he had the idea to engage actively in political life. "Liberals" wanted to put his candidacy as "a general". Particularly been spread the idea of having his name under the first number in the list of block "Gahan" in the elections in the municipality of Tel Aviv.
But Sharon has not left the army when he was promised promotion to one of the top positions. Also in 1969 he was appointed commander of the Southern Military District - the most important in this period.
Proponents of an aggressive defense, Sharon expressed his disagreement with a static defense along the Suez Canal, which were the basis of strengthening "line Barleva". Like most of the tank, he preferred the mobile defense, using tanks and defended the need to combine such a defense with attacks deep in enemy territory. During the "war of attrition" (1970-1972 yy), he commanded several similar operations on the other side of the Egyptian positions along the channel.
. Soon, Sharon was appointed commander of the paratroopers with good prospects to become over time, Chief of General Staff
. Its paratroopers jumped from not only the aircraft. He called them "non-traditional anti-terrorist forces," who in 1971 attempted to eliminate terrorism in the occupied Gaza Strip.
. Israelis dressed in Arab clothing, and sometimes in order to infiltrate the Palestinian underground, posing as champions of the Arab resistance
. For 7 months, as calculated by Sharon himself, his men killed 104 and arrested 172 Palestinians. Moreover, they acted the most brutal methods. Collective punishment, expulsion, economic pressure - all of this, combined with his bulldog tenacity of Sharon, has led to positive results.
. But he never managed to take (and, perhaps, fortunately) the highest army post - Chief of Staff
. He had many friends, but even more enemies. Ironically disappointed Sharon resigned a month before the war, Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) in 1973.
However, with the outbreak of hostilities, he immediately returned to military service. He helped the Israeli army to overcome the failures of the initial period and deeply moved in the Sinai Peninsula, where he caught the cease-fire.
After that, Sharon decided to convert its military success into political capital. In the Labor Party has been quite a lot of generals, and he decided to pick out a party where he could play first violin. He became a member of the Liberal Party, the former, despite its name, the right-wing party.
. With indomitable energy, Sharon was able to quickly convince the leaders of several disparate right-wing opposition groups to unite under one roof ", which was called the Likud, which in Hebrew means" union "or" unity "
. Less than four years, Sharon has witnessed the coming to power, he established the block.
After the victory of the Likud in the elections in 1977 he took up the improvement of the tactics of political battles in the government bureaucracy. With his military experience he understood the importance and need for control over the intelligence community. Intelligence provides information, and information means power. Retired general intelligence was presented as a state within a state, with its foreign policy that can influence the internal and defense policy. Therefore, Sharon took a special interest in achieving such autonomy.
He suggested that Prime Minister Menachem Begin to create a new government body - the Ministry of Intelligence. Himself, of course, he saw in his chair Minister. Begin, Sharon rejected a proposal by appointing him Minister of Agriculture.
But be aware of Sharon. He used this position to go on the offensive. He found the funds for the construction of Israeli settlements in the occupied territories, which he called "facts on the ground". Thus, he defied the world, It seems to return the occupied Arab territories.
After the second victory of the Likud in the elections in 1981, Prime Minister Begin, still appointed Sharon as Minister of Defense. True, he kept it for over a year as minister of agriculture, taking the portfolio of Minister of Defense himself. Begin said (whether in jest, or earnest), that as soon as Sharon as Minister of Defense, he surrounded the residence of the head of government tanks.
For "Arica bulldozer" Minister of Defense was the cherished dream. But do not limit. He did not leave hopes to seize the intelligence community.
He has already managed to convince Begin to appoint his old friend Rafi Eitan to the post of Adviser to the Prime Minister on counter-terrorism. He was an experienced scout, whose major achievement was to take part in the operation of the kidnapping in 1960, Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann.
. Feeling self-confidence, Sharon showed interest in developing new formulations in the field of foreign and defense policy
. In December 1981, the new Minister of Defense gave the keynote address, . proclaiming, . that defensive interests of Israel goes far beyond the zone of direct confrontation with neighboring Arab countries, . and include Pakistan, . North Africa and even more remote areas of the African continent.,
. And Sharon is not confined to words
. He tried to implement their views through a variety of military and foreign projects.
Admirers of "Arica bulldozer" claim that he created from indestructible material. Enemies also consider him arrogant, boastful, deceitful and irresponsible. But it is fair to say that his military abilities have never been questioned. The battle, which he led, are studied in military academies.
But that was created to be obeyed, Sharon does not know how to obey. Therefore, his military career was not just hung in the balance. In the team circles, he had the reputation of heavy, hard handed down man. He managed to quarrel with the two chiefs of General Staff - tender and Haim Moshe Dayan.
In an interview with Sharon so formulated his principles: "I have three criteria for evaluating each order that I get. First and most important - it is good of the state. Second - my duty to my soldiers. And, finally, the third - it is my duty to obey orders of the High Command. "
Very strange relationship is the first Israeli Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion to Sharon. Doors "Old Man" (as the prime of his associates) were always open to young Major. And he often came to the head of government, to render his soul after another conflict with the generals. Ben Gurion liked Sharon, who embodied in his eyes the look of the new Israel.
Today, Sharon - opposition leader. He makes no secret that it intends to apply for the post of prime minister.
He lives on his ancestral farm, near Tel Aviv. Before his house sedately walking about geese. He has a unique collection of all kinds of horse harness.
At the moment of candor, Sharon once confessed:
- First of all, I - a Jew. So what I did and do for the Jewish state and people, can not be a burden to me. I love this land, my home, my family, wife. I love these trees, flowers, animals, birds. My strength from all this. They (apparently Arab-K. K.) never let me win.