An island of calm in a stormy sea

The responses to the Ha'aretz articles on Sharon's stroke are typical. Most offer prayers for a speedy recovery. Too many claim that this is G-d's punishment for evacutating Azza. Some people just try to spark up the typical Israel vs. Palestinians debate.

This response stood out. It's by a guy named Raymond Blumenthal from somewhere in New York. Read it and think...

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Sharon is a complicated person. He is not only one of Israel's greatest Generals but ranks as one of the world's military leaders. I respected him as a General but was not happy with him in his early days as a politician. He was a proponent of settlements, not understanding of the Palestinians and used a heavy hand with some of Israel's neighbors.

But one thing made him different from most other leaders in the Middle East. He learned. He understood that Israel could not go on doing what it was doing to the occupied territories. Israel had to rethink its way in the world and its future. Like the good General he was, he realized that sometimes you must retreat and reformer your lines before you continue.

He, more then most other people, felt that giving up Gaza would be painful but it had to be done. Was he not partly responsible for the capture of Gaza and the settlements? Those who lament over the loss of Gaza are shot sighted. They only see one small part of what is Israel. Gaza would never be part of Israel. What I worry about is the Israel of today, not the one of 2000 years ago.

He made many mistakes in the past, and if he recovers, he may make a few more. But remember what he has done has always been for the good of Israel and its people. He doesn?t deserve the abuse of some religious zealots who want to live in the past.