Sharon needs ‘miracle’ to survive

The condition of former Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon continues to deteriorate as his organs slowly shut down.

“Unless there is a turn on the level of a miracle, his condition will get worse and worse from day to day,” Dr Zeev Rotstein, director general of Sheba Medical Centre near Tel Aviv, said on Monday. “The threat to his life has not decreased; it may have even increased.”

In addition to multiple organ failure, Sharon is suffering from a blood infection, according to the doctor.

Sharon’s family was called to his side last week, when his medical condition began deteriorating and doctors reportedly gave him days to live. His condition is listed as critical.

Rotstein on Sunday at his daily media briefing called Sharon “a true lion.” Sharon is no longer receiving kidney dialysis due to his condition.

The 85-year-old has been in a coma-like state since he had a major stroke in January 2006. With the exception of a short furlough to his ranch in Israel’s Negev desert, Sharon has remained at Sheba since his stroke.

On Tuesday, the medical centre announced that it would be discontinuing its daily briefings on Sharon’s condition.

The hospital told the media that as soon as his condition changes, a press conference would be convened immediately. But until then, briefings will not be held.

“The decision does not imply that his condition has stabilised,” hospital spokesman Amir Marom said.

While Israeli politicians have refrained from criticising Sharon since his condition deteriorated last week, Habayit Hayehudi leader Naftali Bennett appeared to critique him in a speech at Tel Aviv University’s Institute for National Strategic Studies on Tuesday.

“I hear the expression tough decisions,” Bennett said. “It was an easy decision to implement the disengagement [from the Gaza Strip] and throw 8000 people out of their homes. There was applause from all over the world and then missiles on Rishon Lezion. A tough decision is to stand strong when confronted with international pressure.”

Just last week, Bennett urged his constituents to focus on the positive achievements in Sharon’s career and not focus on the Gaza Strip withdrawal.

“Certainly there are many of us (myself included) with great anger about the expulsion of 8000 Gush Katif residents from their homes and the disastrous results for the citizens of Israel,” Bennett wrote on his official Facebook page. “But during these hours, while Sharon is fighting for his life, we should remember his merits.”

JTA, THE JERUSALEM POST