Ariel Sharon's Contentious Life and Legacy

For many Israelis, he was a builder and a bulwark; for Palestinians, a destroyer and a deterrent. TIME invited an international panel of experts to reflect on the Prime Minister's place in history and the prospects for peace when he is gone

NATAN SHARANSKY Former Likud Minister and author of The Case for Democracy: I have always believed that real progress in the peace process will come from democratic reforms in Palestinian society. That was the reason for my criticism of Sharon's policy over the past two years. I believed that Sharon's unilateral moves would take us nowhere as long as they were not accompanied by some real democratic reforms on the other side. The question of whether the Palestinians can establish democracy will have a greater bearing on the peace process than will the end of Sharon's political career. At the same time, Sharon always demonstrated courage as a leader who takes responsibility for his actions. So many decisions are made now on opportunistic grounds or for fear of being punished in the polls. Sharon made decisions to influence history and was ready to take responsibility for them. I very much hope that other politicians will emulate this quality.