More thoughts on Ariel Sharon’s situation and its implications can be heard on this week’s Israellycool podcast.
1:40AM: Morally repulsive and bad spellers.
Moroon.
1:45AM: Conservative Christian evangelical broadcaster Pat Robertson has suggested that Sharon was punished by G-d.
“He was dividing God’s land and I would say woe unto any prime minister of Israel who takes a similar course to appease the EU, the United Nations, or the United States of America,” Robertson said on his television program, “The 700 Club,” Broadcast from his Christian Broadcasting Network in Virginia Beach. “God says ‘this land belongs to me. You better leave it alone.”
As I mention on this week’s podcast, I find this kind of conjecture troubling, and worthy of contempt. While I certainly believe in G-d, who are we to say such a thing? Are we able to penetrate G-d’s thoughts?
8:10AM: There has been no change in Sharon’s condition overnight.
8:50AM: Methinks that US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice should choose her words more carefully.
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is a “huge and gigantic figure in Israeli politics and has turned out to be (the same) in the entire Middle East and in the world,” United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice told reporters in Washington.Referring to the prime minister, currently clinging to life at Jerusalem hospital, as a “man of enormous courage,” Rice added the “appropriate thing at this time” is to direct all hopes and thoughts to his quick recovery.
8:55AM: UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan offers his two cents.
In light of the serious reports coming in from Jerusalem’s Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan spoke with Israel’s Ambassador to the U.N. Danny Gillerman Thursday afternoon and expressed his concern over Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s medical condition.—-The secretary-general told the ambassador he had spoken with Sharon following the mild stroke the prime minister suffered about two weeks ago and pleaded with him to cut down on his workload.
Which is rich, considering that Annan and his joke of an organization actually caused much of Sharon’s work.
9:55AM: Paul Reynolds, the BBC’s World Affairs correspondent, has written a piece entitled Sharon’s legacy does not include peace.
While it is true that we do not have peace, the headline implies that Sharon was a warmonger, and ignores the fact that he put much effort into achieving peace (whether or not I agree with his actions in this regard is another story).
You also have to bear in mind that this is the same Paul Reynolds who opined that Israel had to deal with arch terrorist Arafat, and sneered at the capture of terrorist Abu Abbas by US forces. You know, standard BBC material.
10:00AM: Caroline Glick writes about Israel after Sharon.
12:50PM: Sharon’s condition has deteriorated, and he has been rushed to the operating room to undergo emergency surgery intended to relieve intra-cranial pressure and new bleeding.
2:10PM: Who am I kidding? With Murphy’s Law crippling my regular site for the time being, and with my household in preparations for the coming Sabbath (replete with children running around the house:)), I cannot keep up with this level of liveblogging. I’ll still attempt to keep you informed to the best of my ability.
2:25PM: This sums up the so-called “human rights/pro-palestinian” organizations.
Israeli and Palestinian activists intended to hold their weekly demonstrations against the construction of the security barrier through the Palestinian villages of Bil’in and Abud, despite current national tension over Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s serious medical condition. .
Yonatan Pollack, of the Anarchists Against the Wall group, told The Jerusalem Post on Friday morning that he expected some 300 Israeli and Palestinian participants at each protest, which were schedued to begin at noon on Friday.—- When asked if the group had hesitated about going ahead with the protest in light of Sharon’s health problems, Pollack said that any hesitation was strategic. “We knew it would be difficult to get media attention,” he explained.
Kind of reminds me of the PA after a terror attack: “We condemn it because it does not serve our interests.”
2:40PM: Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer had this to say:
“Mr. Sharon is widely and deeply admired in Australia and throughout the world as a passionate fighter for Israel in both war and peace..Mr. Sharon has played a pivotal role in the Middle East peace process. His courage in pushing ahead with disengagement from Gaza and parts of the West Bank has been particularly noteworthy and a very difficult decision for someone closely connected with the Jewish settlements..”
2:50PM: The Channel 10 reporter is explaining the catch 22 situation faced by the doctors right now: every time you touch the brain, you damage it.
3:00PM: Omri is also having technical difficulties of sorts.
3:10PM: Sharon’s surgery expected to end soon
3:25PM: The surgery is over.
3:40PM: Sharon is on his way to another CT scan.
4:30PM: That is it from me until Saturday night Israel time. Please keep Prime Minister Sharon in your prayers, and be sure to check out the excellent coverage from around the blogosphere
