The critical condition of Israeli PM Ariel Sharon has a faint silver lining. From Haaretz:

Israeli democracy deserves a high grade for the way in which it has dealt with the transfer of authority from an ailing prime minister, Ariel Sharon, to Acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. Despite the sudden change of circumstances, Sharon’s strong personal status and the political crisis that has enveloped Israel in the last few months, the support system for the political leadership has been functioning properly.
…
Israel is considered to have strategic capabilities that only a few countries in the world possess. It is in a state of war with the Palestinians, Syria and Hezbollah, and the president of Iran wants to destroy it. Nonetheless, the shakeup in the Israeli leadership has not given rise to extraordinary public anxiety or to fears on the part of the international community.