Ariel Sharon: Israeli 'giant' is laid to rest amidst tight security
Divisive former PM praised as 'exceptional soldier' who always made Israel's safety his priority
ARIEL SHARON has been eulogised as one of Israel's "greatest military commanders" at a state memorial in Jerusalem attended by US vice-president Joe Biden.
But the former PM's divisive legacy – he was "widely loathed" by Arabs, says the BBC – meant that no-one from the Arab world, Africa or Latin America attended today's ceremonies.
Sharon, 85, died on Saturday after spending eight years in a coma. Thousands of mourners paid their respects to the statesman yesterday, filing past his coffin which lay in state outside the Israeli parliament, the Knesset.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The ceremonies – which include the memorial and a brief military service at Latrun, west of Jerusalem – will culminate with his burial at the Sycamore ranch he owned near Sderot, close to Gaza. He will be laid to rest next to his second wife, Lily, who died in 2000.
As well as Biden, today's memorial was attended by Middle East international envoy Tony Blair, Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov, Czech PM Jiri Rusnok and German foreign minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier.
In an address to the memorial, Blair hailed Sharon as "a giant of this land" and paid tribute to Sharon's "idea that the Jewish people, so often victims of injustice and persecution, should have a state where they could be independent and free".
"Think good or ill of Ariel Sharon, agree or disagree with him, but that calling – a noble one – was plain and unalloyed," Blair said.
Biden also made a speech in front of Sharon's coffin, which was draped in Israel's blue and white national flag. Describing Sharon as "an exceptional soldier, a commander who knew how to win," Biden said the security of the Israeli people was the statesman's "unwavering mission".
Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, also paid tribute to Sharon, but noted that he had not always "seen eye-to-eye" with him on policy issues, CBS News reports.
"Arik [Sharon's nickname] understood that in matters of our existence and security, we must stand firm. We are sticking to these principles," Netanyahu said.
The proximity of Sharon's resting place to the border with Gaza has caused Israel to "beef up" security, says Sky News. Authorities in Gaza have been warned that today would be a bad day to "test Israel's patience" with rocket attacks, a source said.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
8 genre-defining Black country, folk and blues musicians
The Week Recommends Keeping the legacy alive, even when the industry tries to keep them down
By Scott Hocker, The Week US Published
-
Will young people refuse to vote in the 2024 presidential election?
Today's Big Question The kids are not alright
By Anya Jaremko-Greenwold, The Week US Published
-
What reclassifying cannabis could change
The Explainer The Biden administration's move to change marijuana from a Schedule I narcotic to Schedule III could reshape the pot landscape even if it doesn't mean full federal legalization
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Puffed rice and yoga: inside the collapsed tunnel where Indian workers await rescue
Speed Read Workers trapped in collapsed tunnel are suffering from dysentery and anxiety over their rescue
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Gaza hospital blast: What the video evidence shows about who's to blame
Speed Read Nobody wants to take responsibility for the deadly explosion in the courtyard of Gaza's al-Ahli Hospital. Roll the tape.
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Giraffe poo seized after woman wanted to use it to make a necklace
Tall Tales And other stories from the stranger side of life
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Helicopter sound arouses crocodiles
Tall Tales And other stories from the stranger side of life
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Woman sues Disney over 'injurious wedgie'
Tall Tales And other stories from the stranger side of life
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Emotional support alligator turned away from baseball stadium
Tall Tales And other stories from the stranger side of life
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Europe's oldest shoes found in Spanish caves
Tall Tales And other stories from the stranger side of life
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Artworks stolen by Nazis returned to heirs of cabaret performer
It wasn't all bad Good news stories from the past seven days
By The Week Staff Published