What role did Ariel Sharon play in Israel’s 1982 invasion of Lebanon?

Ariel Sharon, serving as Israel’s minister of defense in 1982, was the principal architect of the invasion of Lebanon. While the Israeli cabinet initially authorized a limited operation restricted to a 25-mile (40-km) zone, Sharon pursued more ambitious objectives. He directed the Israel Defense Forces to advance well beyond this limit, eventually reaching and besieging Beirut to remove the Palestine Liberation Organization.12

The conflict failed to achieve Sharon’s goal of creating a new political reality on Israel’s northern frontier and resulted in a prolonged, unproductive military engagement. Furthermore, during the occupation of Beirut, Sharon allowed the Phalange Party militia into the Sabra and Shatila refugee camps, where they committed massacres. Following widespread public outrage, a judicial commission of inquiry found Sharon "indirectly responsible" for these atrocities, declaring him unfit to remain in office. Consequently, he was forced to resign as defense minister in 1983.12