Sharon to Be Declared Incapacitated

[Scurrilous]

<snip>

"Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, who has been in a coma for three months, will be declared permanently incapacitated Tuesday, a decision that signals the official end of his tenure as Israel's leader, the Justice Ministry said Sunday.

Sharon, 78, was declared temporarily incapacitated after he lapsed into a coma following a stroke Jan. 4. Ehud Olmert stepped in for him immediately as acting prime minister, but under Israeli law he can only serve in that capacity for up to 100 days before an official replacement for Sharon has to be named.

That deadline expires Friday, but because the weeklong Jewish Passover holiday begins Wednesday, the declaration of permanent incapacitation has been moved up to Tuesday _ with the proviso that it not take effect if Sharon's condition improves before the deadline, Justice Ministry spokesman Jacob Galanti said.

Olmert, who won March 28 elections, is expected to be named Sharon's official replacement as he continues negotiating with smaller parties to form a governing coalition."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/09/AR2006040900106.html

[Tom Joad]

1. I don't know why this was not done long ago.

[Poll_Blind]

2. I believe there's something in the Israeli constitution that says...

...that after 99/100 days of being incapacitated, the PM is officially removed from power. Although the time frame is a little longish for being incapacitated, the lag is designed for situations like this where it is hoped the PM would recover from whatever and continue to serve his or her term in office.

PB

[bumblebee1]

3. Pardon me for asking this.

What took so long? I was under the impression that a stroke and coma was being incapacitated. Sharon had a stroke when, three months ago? Who was running Israel all this time?

[Behind the Aegis]

4. Answer

"Sharon, 78, was declared temporarily incapacitated after he lapsed into a coma following a stroke Jan. 4. Ehud Olmert stepped in for him immediately as acting prime minister, but under Israeli law he can only serve in that capacity for up to 100 days before an official replacement for Sharon has to be named."