Youngsters, soldiers and passersby lit memorial candles for former prime minister Ariel "Arik" Sharon, Monday, ahead of his being laid to rest on his Shikmim (Sycamore) Farm in the Negev, at a site called "Arik's Porch" in the Samarian community of Beit Aryeh Ofarim. Flags at the site were lowered to half mast.
Sharon would bring leaders such as President George Bush of the United States to the community's vista point to show the view of Ben-Gurion Airport, the Gush Dan area around Tel Aviv and the Mediterranean coastal plain to illustrate the area's strategic importance. Local council leader Avi Na'im, who served as Sharon's bodyguard, restored the site during the past year. He gave Sharon significant credit for establishing the community and invited Israelis to come for the breathtaking view.