Zeman leads Sharon tributes

Czech president Miloš Zeman led tributes to Sharon, describing him as a great and courageous statesman who was not afraid to fight for his nation. Foreign Minister Jan Kohout underlined his moves as prime minister to foster peace with the Palestinians, such as the Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip. Sharon was a controversial exponent of Jewish settlements on land earmarked for the Palestinians and was tarnished by the massacre of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon following the invasion of the country when he was defence minister.