Sharon in 'frightening' state

ISRAELI prime minister Ariel Sharon's condition was said to be "very worrying, even frightening" by medical sources last night as hopes he might recover from a massive stroke appeared to be diminishing.

Despite the reduction of drugs keeping him in a medically induced coma, the country's leader and most popular politician has shown no signs of waking up.

Officials at Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem, where Mr Sharon, 77, has been treated since suffering the stroke on 4 January, and doctors were quoted by Army Radio as saying they were becoming increasingly concerned by his lack of movement.

Israel Radio quoted medical sources as saying that "the situation is worrying, very worrying even frightening ... the moment of truth is approaching".

However Hadassah's spokesman, Ron Krumer, said that although Mr Sharon had not opened his eyes, the timing of when that happens "differs from one patient to another".

But it is becoming apparent that Mr Sharon's treatment team is not publicly conveying the gravity of his situation and that parts of the Israeli media and public are trying to deny the severity of the position.

Dr Anthony Rudd, president of the British Association of Stroke Physicians, told The Scotsman last night: "We would expect to see some significant signs of recovery by now if he was going to make a significant improvement.

"From the information we have, that he arrived in hospital unconscious, that he has not been able to maintain his own breathing very effectively, that there is precious little movement even down the unaffected side, the right arm and leg, he must have a huge amount of brain damage.

"Given that he is as sick as he is a week and a half after the stroke the chances he will achieve any form of real independent functioning in the future are very low indeed."

Much of the Israeli media seized upon announcements by Hadassah this week of small movements of Mr Sharon's limbs in response to pain stimuli.

But the Hadassah announcements did not specify whether the movements were purposeful or not. Mr Sharon continued to be in a "critical but stable" condition, Hadassah said yesterday afternoon.

Reuven Adler, an adviser to Mr Sharon, suggested he should be placed at the top of the list of the Kadima party, which the premier established in October.

The suggestion was rejected by party leaders but the fact that it was made reflected the lack of appreciation in Israel that Mr Sharon is highly unlikely to be able to resume his political career if he manages to wake from the coma at all.

The assessment of major brain damage for Mr Sharon, shared by other independent physicians, is part of a harrowing final chapter for a man who played a leading role in the Israeli military and in politics for five decades.

From his brutal army cross-border raids during the 1950s, to his leadership of Israel's counter-attack against Egyptian forces in the 1973 war, his drive to settle the occupied territories, beginning in 1977, the bloody invasion of Lebanon in 1982 and finally to last summer's withdrawal from Gaza, Mr Sharon made history - for better or worse.

His departure leaves a huge vacuum at the heart of Israeli politics in advance of March elections.

But it does not necessarily hurt regional peace-making efforts, since Mr Sharon raised and adhered to a list of 14 objections to the international peace blueprint known as the roadmap.

One of the objections flatly ruled out "final status" peace negotiations with the Palestinian Authority.

A poll published in Yediot Ahronoth newspaper yesterday showed Kadima retaining its popularity and predicted it would win 42 Knesset seats if elections were held now, far ahead of Amir Peretz's Labour Party and Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud.

A surgeon who participated in two operations on Mr Sharon, Jose Cohen, said last Saturday that his patient's cognitive abilities will have been impaired by the stroke.

A brain scan on Thursday showed the remnants of blood in his brain had been absorbed, Hadassah said.

In response, doctors removed a tube they had inserted into his skull to relieve pressure on his brain.

The Israeli Defence Ministry said yesterday it has delayed an order to remove an unauthorised West Bank outpost by two weeks after a court challenge by Jewish settlers.

The Amona outpost was due for demolition in the coming days. The ministry said, however, it would remove three other West Bank outposts next week.