Israel's Sharon to Be Declared 'Permanently Incapacitated'

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, who has been in a coma for three months following a massive stroke, will be declared permanently incapacitated Tuesday, Israeli officials said Sunday.

The declaration will officially signal the end of his reign, the Justice Ministry added, according to an Associated Press report.

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Sharon, 78, was declared temporarily incapacitated following the stroke Jan. 4, but under Israeli law after 100 days an official replacement for him has to be named.

That deadline expires Friday, but because the weeklong Jewish Passover holiday begins Wednesday, the declaration 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.

Officials at Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem, where Sharon is being treated, said Sunday that discussions were still under way on whether to move him to a long-term care facility. Hospital spokesman Ron Krumer defined Sharon's condition as "serious, but stable," a reflection that his life is not in immediate danger, the AP reported.

Experts say Sharon's chances of recovery are extremely slim.

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