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The article profiles Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, who suffered a massive stroke. Sharon plotted and planned, but few knew the endgame he had in mind. His leadership came to an abrupt close at a moment of resounding ambiguity. Perhaps Sharon confided his plans to his deputy prime minister, Ehud Olmert. As leader, Sharon was everything he seemed, and also its opposite. Sharon never said just where his new party, Kadima, was headed. He had not even prepared a parliamentary list for elections. Sharon used ambiguity to hold the political center.

Discusses the stance of presidential candidates Senator John Kerry and incumbent President George W. Bush on issues of foreign policy. Suggestion from politicians and policy analysts that there is a lack of clarification from either candidate about where they stand on the major issues; Feelings of Bush and Kerry on the war and Iraq; Claims from Kerry that he will find a way for U.S. troops to withdraw from Iraq more quickly if he is elected; How both candidates support the development of a better relationship with China while promoting internal reform; Support from Bush and Kerry for the policies of Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon regarding Israel and the Palestinians.

Reports that Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon coaxed his country on Sunday toward evacuating some settlements next year, winning approval from is right-wing coalition government to begin preparing for disengagement from the Palestinians of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Details of how Sharon forged a compromise with the far-right; Details of the agreement; Reaction of the Palestinian prime minister, Ahmed Qurei; Background on Sharon's policies on relations with the Palestinians; Details of the debate among Israeli politicians about the Gaza withdrawal.

Reports on Israel Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's plan to evacuate some Israeli settlements without a peace agreement with the Palestinians. Sharon's proposal that the cabinet vote on emptying just three settlements in the Gaza Strip; Support of the U.S. government on Sharon's plan.

Reports that Israel's attorney general, Menachem Mazuz has decided against indicting Prime Minister Ariel Sharon on charges of accepting bribes from a real estate developer, David Appel. Sharon's announcement of his plans in putting a revised version of his disengagement plan to a vote within his government in May 2004; Indictment of Appel on bribery charges.

Reports that as Palestinians massed in Gaza City to vent rage at Israel over its killing of Hamas top leader Abdel Aziz Rantisi on Saturday, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon picked up crucial support on Sunday from right-wing leaders for his plan to withdraw from the Gaza Strip without a peace agreement. Report of statements of reluctant support for the plan made by right-wing Likud party members, including Benjamin Netanyahu and Limor Livnat; Reasons why Israel is intensifying pressure on Hamas; Details of diplomatic assurances in support of the Gaza withdrawal that U.S. President George W. Bush gave to Sharon; Analysis of recent shifts in the Likud party and in Israeli politics.

Reports on the reason for the hesitation of Israel Prime Minister Ariel Sharon on his planned trip to Washington, D.C. Fear of Sharon concerning the diplomatic guarantees he wanted from U.S. President George W. Bush; Reaction of the Palestinian leadership from the shifts in the American policy in the Middle East; Prediction of the advisers of Sharon on the domestic support he needed to push ahead with his Gaza plan.

Reports on President George W. Bush's support of an Israeli plan to withdraw from the Gaza Strip. Provision of diplomatic assurances that represented a victory for Prime Minister Ariel Sharon; Three commitments made by the United States, including backing for the Gaza withdrawal, recognition that Israel would hold on to parts of the West bank, and an American rejection of the right of Palestinians refugees from the 1948 to return to their lands in what is now Israel; Absence of the Palestinians in the negotiations.

Reports on the new threat of Israel Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to Yasir Arafat, Palestinian leader. Commitment of Sharon to U.S. President George W. Bush; Opposition of the Bush administration on any action harming Arafat; Effort of Sharon to secure American effort of his plans.

Focuses on the criticism against support of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon on the organization of a party vote on plan to withdraw from Israeli-occupied territory by coalition partners and leaders of rightist party Likud. Number of members of the party; Rejection on the creation of a Palestinian state west of the Jordan River; Retention of settlements in the West Bank.

Reports on the recommendation of the state prosecutor Edna Arbel to indict Israel Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. Anger of Sharon the recommendation; Objection of the legal experts to the disclosure of the recommendation to the Israel mass media; Demand for resignation of Sharon if indicted.

Reports on the recommendation of Israel's state prosecutor that Prime Minister Ariel Sharon be indicted on charges of taking bribes from a real estate developer. Final decision to be made by Israel's attorney general, Menachem Mazuz; Details of the case; Indictment of the real estate developer for an attempted bribe to Sharon.

With a proposed Israeli withdrawal by Ariel Sharon, Israeli President from the Gaza Strip, each side in the Israel-Palestinian conflict wants to prove the other side evidence of its own strength. Hamas, a fundamentalist Palestinian group sees a unilateral Israeli withdrawal as a political opportunity. But in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the messages either side tries to send are usually much more convincing than its adversary. Palestinians cling to their own message, that Israel is running from Palestinian resistance.

On March 24, 2004 Israeli Prime Minister, Ariel Sharon, celebrated the 52th anniversary of Israel's treaty with Egypt, a peace Sharon helped secure. Sharon, a symbol to Arabs of ruthless Israeli force, spoke with unusual eloquence of friends lost in battle, of leadership triumphing over hatred, of a dream of peace. The peace treaty left Israel still occupying Gaza. It was Sharon who mapped out and built Israeli settlements there, home now to 7,000 Jews, among 1.3 million Palestinians.

Reports that Palestinians are vowing revenge for the killing of Hamas cleric Sheik Ahmed Yassin. Death of the spiritual leader in an attack by the Israeli government; Mood at the funeral in Gaza; Protests and violence after the killing; Comments of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, whose government authorized the attack; Sharon's approach to terrorism; Reactions to the attack, including condemnation by Arab and European officials; Comparison of Sheik Yassin to Osama bin Laden by Israeli officials; Hamas' commitment to Israel's destruction.

Reports on the visit by King Abdullah II of Jordan to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon of Israel to discuss Sharon's plan for "disengagement" from the Palestinians. Establishment of negotiations and reciprocal concessions to produce a Palestinian state an a comprehensive Arab-Israeli peace; Criticism by King Abdullah that the plan was harmful to Palestinians; Apprehension that the plan would prompt a new influx of Palestinians from West Bank.

Discusses how 14 Palestinians died in a battle with Israeli armored forces in refugee camps in the Gaza Strip. How the Israelis used grenades and firebombs to fire on the camps; Efforts of the Israeli Army to find the militants responsible for firing mortar bombs and antitank missiles at Jewish settlements nearby; How four Palestinian suicide bombers and two policemen died in an attempted suicidal attack on an Israeli-controlled boundary; Plans of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to support a unilateral withdrawal of Israelis from the Gaza Strip; Efforts of the Hamas Islamic militant group to drive the Israelis out of the refugee camps.

Reports on Israel Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's call on the American government to support his proposal for "unilateral disengagement" from the Palestinians. Sharon's assurance that the proposal will not replace the U.S. government's peace initiative; Commitment of Sharon to the U.S. road map for peace in the Middle East.

Reports on the unilateral disengagement plan from Palestinians by Prime Minister Ariel Sharon in Israel. Relocation of the settlers from Gaza Strip to settlements in the West Bank; Assessment of the peace initiative agreement; Expansion of the West Bank community.

Reports on the questioning done by Israeli police to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon as part of the bribery investigation that could impede his plan for unilateral disengagement from the Palestinians. Issue on the transfer of settlements outside of the Gaza Strip while violence continues in the area; Pursuance of the unilateral plan of Prime Minister Sharon if the implementation of the Bush administration's plan has failed; Issue of whether or not to indict the prime minister.

Reports on the plan of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to evacuate the settlers from the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. Impact of the plan on the settlers; Implications for the nation's political system; Overview on the political career of Sharon; Effect of the plan to the Palestinians; Views of Palestine Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei on the issue.

Reports that Prime Minister Ariel Sharon of Israel will seek to evacuate all Israeli settlers from the Gaza Strip. Reaction of members of the settlement movement; Plan for "unilateral disengagement" from the Palestinians if the Bush administration peace initiative fails; Endorsement of an eventual Palestinian state; Criticism of Israel's "occupation" of the West bank and Gaza Strip; Plan to seek support from the U.S. and western Europe; Focus on Israel's modern security needs more than on its ancient claims; Concern about growing chaos in the Palestinian authority.

Reports on the death of Israelis after a Palestinian suicide bombing happened in Bethlehem. Conflict between the two countries; Statement from Israel Prime Minister Ariel Sharon; Identification of the dead bodies.

Reports on the proposition by Israel Prime Minister Ariel Sharon regarding dismantling of settlements. Comments from the leaders of the Israeli settlement movement on Sharon's proposal to dismantle seven isolated settlements as part of a plan of unilateral disengagement from the Palestinian; Denial of Sharon on the alleged negotiation; Plan of Sharon to evacuate some Jewish communities as part of his unilateral plan.

Reports on the bribery investigation against Prime Minister Ariel Sharon in Israel. Threat of indictment against the prime minister; Public opinion polls about the personal credibility of Sharon; Pressure on the prime minister to resign.

Reports the statement of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon of Israel that he saw no risk that Palestinians could undermine Israel's identity by gaining a demographic majority. Willingness of Israel to resume peace negotiations with Syria; Risk of being seen as an apartheid state; Support for Israel's policy of settling Jews in the occupied territories of the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

Reports on the warning issued by Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon to Palestinians to become more conciliatory or risk losing some of the land they want for a state. Hints made by Sharon at possible but unnamed territorial concessions in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

Reports that the administration of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is considering the evacuation of civilians from some isolated areas in the Gaza Strip in preparation to renew talks with the Palestinian leadership. Outlines given for negotiating proposals with the Palestinians; Probability that Israel will redraw borders on its own according to observers; Source of pressure on Sharon's decision from the Geneva Initiative.

Reports that Israeli warplanes and helicopter gunships struck Gaza five times, killing at least 11, as Prime Minister Ariel Sharon affirmed Israel's threat to remove Palestinian leader Yasir Arafat. Details of the attacks, which included an assault on a refugee camp; Call for revenge by Palestinians; Sharon's military and political approach; Comments of Sharon; Israel's demand that the Palestinian Authority break up militant groups responsible for suicide bombings.

Discusses the continued significance of the Jerusalem holy site known as the Temple Mount to Jews and the Noble Sanctuary to Muslims in the Arab-Israeli conflict. Events which have occurred since a controversial visit in 2000 by Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, who was then a candidate for office, including the outbreak of the Aksa Intifada; Decision of Israeli officials to allow tour groups to visit to site; Jewish beliefs related to the site.

Reports on a planned visit of state by Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas to the United States in July, 2003. His plans to ask President George W. Bush to convince Israel to make concessions to further the Middle East peace plan; Impact of this visit on the role of Bush in the negotiations; Significance of his decision to accept the invitation to visit Bush; Plans for a visit to the U.S. by Israel Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, also in July.

Reports that Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian prime minister, battled rival Palestinian leaders to retain control of negotiations with Israel over an American-backed peace plan, threatening to quit to face down a storm of criticism that he had gained little for renouncing violence. Cancellation of a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon; Possibility that Abbas will harden his negotiation stance toward Israel; Allies of Abbas who believe that he is unlikely to follow through on his threat of resignation; Decision of Abbas to step down from the top governing body of Fatah, the faction he helped found with Yasir Arafat, the Palestinian leader; Response of U.S. President George W. Bush's administration.

Reports that Prime Minister Ariel Sharon of Israel and Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas met to declare mutual respect and express hopes for peace, while Israeli forces prepared to withdraw from the West Bank town of Bethlehem. Comments of the prime ministers; Significance of their public appearance together for Israelis and Palestinians who have suffered through Arab-Israeli violence; U.S. pressure for peace; Issue of the release of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.

Reports that Yasir Arafat, the Palestinian leader, dismissed a promised Israeli concession today, as skepticism on both sides and around the region vied with hopes for peace. Belief that Arafat's criticism was a slap at the Palestinian prime minster, Mahmoud Abbas, who has been trying to demonstrate progress toward improving Palestinian life as he lobbies militant groups to lay their arms; Meeting between Abbas and U.S. President George W. Bush; Role of Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon; Comments from Arafat.

Focuses on the progress of negotiations between Israel and Palestine over the so-called road map to Middle Eastern peace. Commitments of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas to begin confronting conflicting elements within their respective states; Possibility that these commitments could endanger civil order within their states; Reaction of Israeli settlers to the peace plan; Failure of previous efforts to achieve peace by negotiation.

Discusses the United States' involvement in the Middle East peace talks in June 2003. Work American officials are doing behind the scenes to secure Israeli and Palestinian agreement to specific statements about advancing the new peace effort; Details of the new international peace plan called "the road map"; Want of a more detailed statement by the George W. Bush Administration; Warning from Israeli officials that word about occupation and outposts could cause Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon deep political problems.

Examines reactions of Israeli settlers to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's criticism of what he called Israel's occupation in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, captured in the 1967 war. Israeli government's support of eventually creating a Palestinian state; History of the Israelis movement into this area; Issue of giving up land; Comments of settlers, including a rejection of the peace plan; Overview of the debate; Sharon's emphasis on his roots as a Zionist; Outlook.

Describes the negotiations between Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon with regard to the peace process in the Middle East. Demand from the Palestinians that their prisoners be released; How Israel plans to permit more Palestinian workers and goods to cross the boundaries of the West Bank and Gaza; Possibility that the Palestinian airfield Gaza Strip will be reopened; Consideration of the threat to Hamas leaders who are located in Iran and Syria; Role of U.S. President George W. Bush in the peace process.

Reports that the Israeli government accepted a Palestinian claim to eventual statehood as of May 26, 2003. Claims from Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon with regard to the need for peace in the Mideast; Creation of a Palestinian government led by Mahmoud Abbas; Consideration of the negotiation of state borders; How both the Likud and centrist Shinui parties support the peace plan; Impact of the alliance between the U.S. and Israel on the peace process.

Reports that Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said today that Israel was "prepared to accept the steps" in a new international peace plan, after the Bush administration said it would "fully and seriously" address Israel's reservations while seeking Arab-Israeli peace and a Palestinian state within three years. Endorsement of the plan by Palestinian leaders; Statement by the White House that Israel's endorsement might pave the way for a summit meeting of U.S. President George W. Bush, Sharon and the Palestinian prime minister, Mahmoud Abbas; Comments on the peace plan by Bush and U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell; Details of the plan; Chances that the plan will be approved by the Israeli parliament.

Reports on the meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas on May 17, 2003, concerning peace agreement.

Presents information on the peace talks held by Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas on May 17, 2003.

Reports that Middle East peace efforts stalled after four Palestinian attacks in Israel. Postponement of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's meeting with U.S. President George W. Bush; Israel's decision to shun diplomats who meet with Yasir Arafat; Sharon's repudiation of an international peace plan; Intent of Sharon to continue meeting with Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas; Background on the attacks, which appeared to be the work of Hamas militants; Implications of the attacks for Abbas' government.

Reports on the decision of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to reject the suggestion of the U.S. government to restrain settlements in the West Bank and in the Gaza Strip, as a prerequisite to peace plan goals in the regions.

Reports on the resignation of Amram Mitzna as chairman of the Labor Party in Israel. Possibility of the Labor Party joining the government of prime minister Ariel Sharon; Implications on the peace plan of Israel with the Palestinians.

Focuses on Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas, who is urging violent groups to end armed conflict. Suicide bombing in Tel Aviv after Abbas denounced terrorism and appealed for peace with Israel; Approval of Abbas' new government by the Palestinian parliament; Plan for the creation of a Palestinian state and Arab-Israeli peace; Details of the bombing; Abbas' speech to Parliament; Criticism of Abbas by some legislators; Role of the U.S. President George W. Bush administration in the peace process; Views of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon of Israel; Outlook.

Provides information on the views of Israel Prime Minister Ariel Sharon on the plan of the U.S. to launch war against Iraq.