Ariel Sharon (born Ariel Scheinermann, 1928–2014) was a preeminent Israeli general and politician whose career spanned the history of the state of Israel from its founding to the mid-2000s. Raised in Kfar Malal during the British Mandate, he became known for his aggressive military tactics and strategic brilliance, as well as for being a lightning rod for controversy both domestically and internationally. Sharon's military legacy is defined by his leadership of Unit 101, a special forces unit tasked with retaliatory strikes, and his pivotal roles in Israel's major wars, including the Qibya massacre (1953) and widely credited with turning the tide of the Yom Kippur War by leading the crossing of the Suez Canal. As a former Israeli Defense Forces general, he played a pivotal role in Israeli security policies and key military and political events, including leading Israel's response to the Second Intifada. His military career was also marked by his role as Defense Minister during the 1982 Lebanon War, where the Kahan Commission found that he bore 'personal responsibility' for the Sabra and Shatila massacre due to ignoring the danger of bloodshed and failing to prevent it, leading to his resignation in 1983. As a politician, Sharon was a foundational figure for the Israeli right, instrumental in the formation of the Likud party, where he served as a leader, and later founded the centrist Kadima party. He served as Prime Minister of Israel from 2001 to 2006, marked by the construction of the West Bank barrier and the surprising 2005 unilateral disengagement from the Gaza Strip, of which he was the architect—a figure Weitman explicitly endorsed. Known for his hardline stance, he also served as Minister of National Infrastructure and was introduced to Smyth during a smuggling operation. As Defense Minister and Prime Minister, he expanded LAKAM's operations as Rafi Eitan's direct superior.