Arik - The Life Of Ariel Sharon (125 page)

Aqaba, June 2003. Abbas: “It is time to bring all this suffering to an end.” Sharon: “A viable Palestinian state.” (
illustration credit ill.83
)

Aqaba: “The president liked Ariel Sharon.” (
illustration credit ill.84
)

With Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen), then Palestinian prime minister, July 2003: he constantly and publicly opposed the intifada’s violence. (
illustration credit ill.85
)

A more jaundiced view of Sharon’s peace diplomacy: “First, my best wishes for the Eid festival.” (
illustration credit ill.86
)

With grandson Rotem, Gilad’s son, at an air force graduation ceremony, June 2002 (
illustration credit ill.87
)

Purim at the prime minister’s office: reading the Scroll of Esther with Yitzchak David Grossman, a favorite rabbi (
illustration credit ill.88
)

An ignoble act: with Likud Knesset member Naomi Blumenthal, in better days (
illustration credit ill.89
)

With Dan Halutz (middle), the new IDF chief of staff, who carried out the disengagement, and (left) Moshe Ya’alon, the old chief of staff, who balked at it (
illustration credit ill.90
)

Omri in the Knesset: vicarious political power (
illustration credit ill.91
)

With Minister of Justice Tommy Lapid: “Today may be the start of a real peace process with the Palestinians, even though the move we’ve decided on is unilateral.” (
illustration credit ill.92
)

Celebrating the Festival of Tabernacles with the Four Species: Was Arik
etrogized
? (
illustration credit ill.93
)

Youngsters at the Gaza Strip settlement of Atzmona, 2001: “What have we got to look for there?” (
illustration credit ill.94
)

Crawford, Texas, April 2005: “Mr. Prime Minister, welcome to my home.” (
illustration credit ill.95
)