Former Prisoner of Zion and author Natan Sharansky has resigned from the Cabinet of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon in protest over the government's planned withdrawal from the Gaza Strip this summer. Sharansky, a former dissident who spent 10 years in Soviet prisons, is a heroic figure among world Jewry, and President Bush once described him as an inspiration. "The Gaza pullout…is a tragic mistake for which we are paying a heavy price," Sharansky told Army Radio, adding that it’s a reward for Palestinian terror. Sharon expressed regret over the decision, saying Sharansky has done a lot to combat anti-Semitism. "I want to express my appreciation to Natan,” Sharon said. “I would be very happy if he continued in his post."