Ariel Sharon, the former Prime Minister of Israel who has been in a coma for eight years, has passed away today at the age of 85.

According to CNN, before Ariel made his mark as the Prime Minister of Israel, Sharon was a "brilliant military strategest" whose prowess on the battlefield earned him a vote of confidence as Prime Minister. "Many in the Arab world called Sharon 'the Butcher of Beirut' after he oversaw Israel's 1982 invasion of Lebanon while serving as defense minister. He was a major figure in many defining events in the Middle East for decades, including his decision to turn over Gaza and parts of the West Bank to Palestinian control. Throughout, he was called a 'The Bulldozer,' a fearless leader who got things done. The reaction in his own right-wing Likud Party to his order to the military to drag some Israeli settlers from their homes in Gaza led Sharon in November 2005 to form the political party Kadima, Hebrew for 'Forward.' He was in his fifth year as prime minister when he suffered a massive stroke in January 2006, which left him comatose," reports CNN.

The death of Sharon has garnered reaction from world leaders, including our own President Barack Obama, according to Fox News. "On behalf of the American people, Michelle and I send our deepest condolences to the family of former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and to the people of Israel on the loss of a leader who dedicated his life to the State of Israel," the president said. "We reaffirm our unshakable commitment to Israel's security and our appreciation for the enduring friendship between our two countries and our two peoples."

Of course, not everyone in the world was as concilatory towards the death of Sharon as the President. "He wanted to erase the Palestinian people from the map," said Tawfik Tirawi, who served as Palestinian intelligence chief when Sharon was prime minister a decade ago. "He wanted to kill us, but at the end of the day, Sharon is dead and the Palestinian people are alive."