Sharansky rose to prominence in the 1970s as a dissident in the Soviet Union, where he worked closely with the human rights activist and Nobel Peace Prize winner Andre Sakharov. A former chess prodigy, Sharansky passed the days by playing chess games in his head, famously boasting that he won every match. In Israel, Sharansky spent over a decade as a lawmaker and Cabinet minister, promoting the integration of new immigrants into Israeli society while also taking a hard line toward the Palestinians. Sharansky has opposed making major concessions to the Palestinians and said Israel can only make peace with a democratic Palestinian entity. The plan was abandoned by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu under pressure from ultra-Orthodox allies who oppose mixed-gender prayers.

Source: International New York Times December 10, 2019 04:41 UTC