Ariel Sharon - Biography Chapters

1973 End of Military Career?

Ariel Sharon is concerned about his promotion. He sees himself fit to act as the next IDF Chief of Staff, but when he speaks to Defense Minister Moshe Dayan, he realizes that the government has no intention of giving him the office. Furthermore, Dayan tells him that he would not be able to serve as Head of the Southern Command when his three years term would end. Sharon, therefore,

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hands his resignation to Chief of Staff David Elazar (Dado). A few days later he holds a press conference and proclaims: "I had to leave the army. I stress that it was definitely against my will… For the past 25 years I've had a great privilege to be in every major junction in the life of the State of Israel. It was a great time… I felt the majesty of victory and the horror of terrible fear, the pain of losing friends and relatives. On the personal level it was also a period that had it all – the joy and the sorrow; the elation of victory and the warm love and affection of the people after the great victories, and the horrible pain in the personal tragedies we suffered. I felt the change from pain to joy maybe more than anyone else. If there is one thing for which I am most proud of, is the fact that for almost three years (as Head of the Southern Command) I managed not to be a member of any group, or clique, and operated on my own. I've always said that my group is my close family members: my wife Lili, my mother, and my sons, Omri and Gilad. I believe that a man should express his views and fight for them. Our military men are not just military men. In fact, I have dealt with political issues for the past thirty years. These issues were always: settlements, borders, water, etc. It would be only natural if I continue to fight for these issues in the future."

On July 15, 1973, Ariel Sharon receives an official notice from the Chief of Staff about the cancellation of his position as Head of the Southern Command.

A short while after Sharon retires from the IDF, he hold a press conference in which he announces his intention to establish a broad political body, the Likud, which would join the right wing parties into one, in at attempt to overthrow the government of the Labor party. He provides details about his political agenda, and stresses the need to keep holding the occupied territories of Judea and Samaria and to take a firm stance in terms of foreign policy and national security.

Right wing parties negotiate for a long time about Sharon's initiative to combine them into one. Sharon exercises an enormous pressure on these parties and finally achieves his goal. On July 17, 1973, the Likud treaty is signed and reads: "We, representatives of the Gahal party, the National List, The Free Center and the Workgroup for the Greater Land of Israel, have decided to establish a joint body, the Likud – in the Knesset, in municipalities and in the Histadrut, and to work together towards keeping all the territories of Israel, towards security and peace, towards encouraging Aliya of Jews from third world countries and from developed countries, towards integrating the new Jewish immigrants in the Israeli society, towards establishing a government based on freedom and justice…"

On September 19, 1973, Ariel Sharon, who now acts as the Likud campaign manager in the forthcoming general election, says: "Israel is now facing quiet years in terms of national security, and these years should be utilized to deal with other troubling issues. In terms of national security and borders, we knew no better days then these. We now face no security problems. As long as we remain on the banks of the Canal, the Egyptians have no chance of winning a war or achieving anything, be it in an all out or a limited war."

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