|
Special report: Israeli PM Ariel Sharon in
critical condition
JERUSALEM, April 11
(Xinhua) -- The Israeli cabinet unanimously declared comatose Prime Minister
Ariel Sharon "permanently unable to exercise his duties" in a special session on
Tuesday. The cabinet also approved the appointment of Ehud Olmert as interim
Prime Minister.
The cabinet's decision will take effect on Friday
when the 100-day legal deadline for the "temporarily incapacitated" state of
Sharon expires, marking the end to Sharon's premiership. Sharon, 78, has been in
a coma for three months since he suffered a massive stroke on Jan. 4.
Sharon's deputy Olmert took over as acting prime
minister immediately after he was declared temporarily incapacitated. Under
Israeli law, Sharon can only serve in that capacity for up to 100 days before an
official replacement for Sharon is named. The declaration of Sharon's permanent
incapacitation was moved up to Tuesday because the week-long Passover holiday
begins on Wednesday.
Olmert was tasked with forming the next coalition
after his centrist Kadima party came first with 29 out of the 120 parliament
seats in the March 28 general elections.
Jerusalem's Hadassah Hospital where Sharon has been
hospitalized reported on Monday that Sharon had just received a CT scan to
determine the outcome of a surgery on his skull last week.
The scan revealed no change in his condition, which
the hospital defines as "serious but stable," meaning that his life is not in
immediate danger. Enditem | 
Breaking
News 
