Former Israeli prime minister, Ariel Sharon, has died at the age of 85, after spending the last 8 years of his life in a coma.

Sharon, was Israel’s prime minister during one of the country’s most turbulent times, and was also one of the most controversial figures in its history.

The doctor who has personally treated Sharon since his debilitating stroke 8 years ago, Shlomo Noy, said Sharon had struggled with “surprising strength” over the past week as his condition had deteriorated.

He said, “he departed peacefully with his wife and family at his side.”

According to a report by The Telegraph:

The decorated former army general was pronounced dead at the Tel Hashomer Hospital, near Tel Aviv, days after doctors reported a sharp deterioration in his health, leading to multiple organ failure.

He was prime minister from 2001 until he suffered a massive stroke in January 2006, which left him incapacitated.

Sharon’s death set in motion plans for an elaborate state funeral for a divisive political figure who excited widely contrasting emotions among his admirers and detractors.