If you've been to Israel you would know that statements like that attributed to Sharon are fairly common. It's part of the nation's cultural hyperbole to overstate with ironic humor the mixed message sent to Israel by the US and by Israel to the US. Samples: "The US needs us more than we need them." "Jews in America wouldn't survive without Israel to protect them." "Without Israel the US would have to invent its own enemies." "American Jews have no place to call their own except Israel." "The US would have little to hate if not for Israel." "Israel's nation building helps the US warn Afro-Americans." And many very vulgar, very funny variations. US immigrants are shocked at the very idea of hard-earned superiority, coming late to black humor of the your home is our homeland game (rather forgetting the US hard-fought precursor to steal America and impose leastworthy European subculture; thankfully being slowly upgraded by the Mayan and Asian influx).