US televangelist Pat Robertson has apologised for suggesting Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon 's stroke was divine punishment for Israel's pullout from the Gaza Strip.
In a letter to Mr Sharon's son, Omri, the controversial conservative Christian broadcaster sought forgiveness for saying last week on his 700 Clubtelevision show that Mr Sharon was "dividing God's land and I would say woe unto any prime minister of Israel who takes a similar course.
"My zeal, my love of Israel and my concern for the future safety of your nation led me to make remarks which I can now view in retrospect as inappropriate and insensitive in light of a national grief experienced because of your father's illness," Mr Robertson said in the letter.
Mr Sharon (77) suffered a massive stroke last week and has been fighting for his life since.
Mr Robertson, a former Republican presidential candidate with a history of controversial statements, said in the letter: "I ask your forgiveness and the forgiveness of the people of Israel for saying what was clearly insensitive at the time."
In response to Mr Robertson's initial remarks, Israeli Tourism Minister Avraham Hirschson said the broadcaster would not be involved in a planned $48 million Christian Heritage Center on the shore of the Biblical Sea of Galilee in Israel.