Sharon's life still in danger, says doctor

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's life remains in danger, despite his continued improvement following a massive stroke, one…

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's life remains in danger, despite his continued improvement following a massive stroke, one of his doctor's said today.

Omri Sharon, son of ailing Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, arrives at Hadassah hospital in Jerusalem.
Omri Sharon, son of ailing Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, arrives at Hadassah hospital in Jerusalem.

"The prime minister's life is still in danger. He suffered a serious stroke, period," Dr Jose Cohen, one of Mr Sharon's neurosurgeons, told Israel TV.

"Until we have passed a few more stages we are still very cautious. We know that every day, although we are getting further out of danger, we are still in danger."

Doctors had said yesterday that Mr Sharon was out of immediate danger, but Dr Cohen appeared to be more cautious in his assessment.

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He also said today that doctors were heartened by movement that Mr Sharon made on his left side, which might mean that the right side of Mr Sharon's brain was not as damaged as doctors thought.

That movement was significant because Mr Sharon's suffered severe bleeding on the right side of his brain, which controls the left side of the body.

Doctors still do not know how badly his faculties have been impaired, and medical experts say even if he survives he will have little chance of recovering enough to resume his duties.

The loss of Mr Sharon, who raised peace hopes by pulling settlers and troops out of the Gaza Strip in September after 38 years of occupation, would deepen uncertainty over the future of Middle East diplomacy.

His illness has also halted campaigning for a March 28th general election he had been expected to win.

An opinion poll commissioned for Channel 10 TV shows Mr Sharon's Kadima party would easily win March 28th elections, despite the increasingly dim chance he will head the party he formed just months two ago.

The poll shows Kadima increasing its strength since Mr Sharon's stroke. It said the party, with acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert as its leader, would win 44 of 120 parliamentary seats, a gain of four seats from a poll conducted after last Wednesday's stroke.

AP