JERUSALEM (Reuters):
THE CONDITION of Ariel Sharon, the former Israeli Prime Minister who masterminded the 1982 invasion of Lebanon, has deteriorated, doctors said yesterday.
The further worsening of his health six months after he fell into a coma comes as Israel is once again fighting its northern neighbour, battling Hezbollah guerrillas there and massing forces on the border.
Doctors at the Tel Hashomer hospital near Tel Aviv said the 78-year-old, who fell into a coma after a stroke on January 4, was suffering from an accumulation of fluids in his body and problems with the functioning of his kidneys.
"Over the past two days the doctors have identified a deterioration in the kidney function ... and changes in brain tissue," the hospital said in a statement.
