Danny Ayalon served under Prime Minister Ariel Sharon as his chief foreign policy adviser and ambassador to the U.S.
Ariel Sharon, the leader, was uncompromising in his commitment to the people and the State of Israel. He felt personal responsibility for the security and well-being of this nation, and dedicated all his life to it. He was a lion on the battlefield as well as in his political career and personal life.
From his days as a young soldier in Israel’s War of Independence and a charismatic commander in the 1956 Sinai campaign and the 1967 Six-Day War, to his heroic battle over the Suez Canal in the Yom Kippur War and his eventual election as Israel’s prime minister, Sharon lived his life serving his country.
Every step Sharon took was based on Israel’s security and development, and he demonstrated to the world that terrorism can be defeated. He established Unit 101, Israel’s esteemed counterterrorism unit, and when terror struck New York on 9/11, Ariel Sharon was the first world leader to visit Ground Zero. Sharon took the bold steps for peace when he ordered the evacuation from the Gaza Strip of all Jews in 2005, giving this land to the Palestinians in the hope of bringing peace.
Before Prime Minister Sharon’s first meeting at the White House in May 2001, President George W. Bush’s national security adviser, Condoleezza Rice, called me with concern. I assured her that not only would the meeting go well, but that Sharon and Bush would become the best of friends, which they did.
The special personal relationship Sharon developed with Bush was based on mutual trust and respect. During Sharon’s term as prime minister, Israel-U.S. relations reached an all-time high in cooperation during international crises.
I was fortunate to witness firsthand Ariel Sharon’s unique leadership qualities, as well as his courage as a human being. He was extremely organized, self-disciplined and kind, always asking after his staff’s families. He rose above all crises. He was never deterred from his goals.
Today, the world mourns the loss of a great leader. Today, I mourn a world leader, a mentor, a man larger than life.
Danny Ayalon served under Sharon as his chief foreign policy adviser and ambassador to the U.S.
Author: Danny Ayalon
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