26.8% of Israelis say Sharon punished for disengagement

By GIL STERN STERN HOFFMAN
A poll taken ahead of the January 4 anniversary of the stroke that ended former prime minister Ariel Sharon's career found that 26.8% of Israelis believe Sharon was punished for the disengagement from the Gaza Strip. The numbers were more than twice as large among haredim, where 56.6%% agreed with a question about whether it was right to "connect Sharon's health conditions to his part in the expulsion and view it as a punishment." The survey of 504 participants representing the Jewish and adult Hebrew speaking population in Israel was conducted by Mutagim and sponsored by the World Headquarters to Save Israel, a far right organization led by Rabbi Sholom Ber Volpo.