Israeli President may face charges for rape and illegal wiretapping

[Joe Republic]

Link


Police back Katsav rape charges

Israeli police believe there is enough evidence to charge President Moshe Katsav with rape and wire-tapping, a statement has said.

The recommendation came at a meeting between Attorney General Menachem Mazuz and police who have been investigating claims against Mr Katsav for weeks.

Mr Mazuz will have the final say on whether Mr Katsav should face charges.

Mr Katsav denies claims that he forced two female employees to have sex with him, and all other allegations.

He has said he is the victim of a "public lynching without trial or investigation".

The police statement said: "There is sufficient evidence indicating that in several cases... the president carried out acts of rape, forced sexual acts, sexual acts without consent and sexual harassment."

"There is sufficient evidence indicating violation of the law banning wire-tapping by the president," it added.

Residence searched

The statement said police also found basis for charges of fraud and malfeasance in office concerning presidential pardons granted by the president - one of the few powers of his office.

Police searched the president's home in August after allegations of sexual harassment emerged, and have questioned him repeatedly and seized documents during the investigation.

Israeli media reports have said the case is based on complaints from up to 10 women.

The 61-year-old father-of-five has rejected calls that he quit the largely ceremonial post that he has held since 2000.

If charged, he would be immune from prosecution.

However, he could be impeached by parliament if it felt he had acted inappropriately.

Israeli dissatisfaction

Mr Katsav will not address the Knesset during the ceremony opening its winter session, the first time in Israeli history that the president has not done so.

Some representatives have threatened to walk out if Mr Katsav is even present.

The BBC's Richard Miron in Jerusalem says Mr Katsav may resign if he is indicted.

The police recommendations come at a time when Israelis of all political hues are dissatisfied with their leadership, our correspondent says.

A number of politicians have faced scandals recently, with charges ranging from sexual misconduct to corruption.

And the handling of the recent war against the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah has been widely criticised.

Mr Katsav is a veteran member of the right-wing Likud party, serving as transport minister in the late 1980s and in 1996 as minister of tourism and deputy prime minister.

[Colin]

As if Israelis didn't have enough to make them unsure of their government now they have this new scandel from the President. Things aren't looking good for the entire Israeli government.

[© tweed]

Hopefully it becomes Likud's Mark Foley.  That evil party needs to be blown into extinction.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Israeli President doesn't have any real power anyway, so it won't be that big of an issue.

Olmert's stupidity and incompetance has already blown the chances of annihilating Likud for the near future.

[Joe Republic]

Israeli President doesn't have any real power anyway, so it won't be that big of an issue.

True, but he is still the head of state.  For that reason, it reflects badly on the entire country.

[Colin]

Hopefully it becomes Likud's Mark Foley.  That evil party needs to be blown into extinction.

Why would this have to do with Likud? IIRC the President is non-partisan and the current coalition doesn't include Likud. If anything Likud will actually gain from the follies of the current government.

[© tweed]

Mr Katsav is a veteran member of the right-wing Likud party, serving as transport minister in the late 1980s and in 1996 as minister of tourism and deputy prime minister.

[Colin]

Mr Katsav is a veteran member of the right-wing Likud party, serving as transport minister in the late 1980s and in 1996 as minister of tourism and deputy prime minister.

Oh sh**t I didn't see that. Anyway I doubt it will have much affect since the Presidents are usually rather out of their party's apparatus. But still this destroys their credibility as well. So now Labour, Kadima, and Likud have all been destroyed by various errors, follies and scandels. I believed that after the Lebanon War Likud would come back strong now they've been held back by something large as well. Maybe those religious parties would grow or something. There really are no other options for the people.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Maybe Meretz might grow. They're my favorite. I would've voted Labour last election, but they've blown in being in this government.

The thing that worries me is Olmert is not going to last a full term, so unless the coalition can ditch him for someone else, the only other options is PM Netanyahu.

[Colin]

Maybe Meretz might grow. They're my favorite. I would've voted Labour last election, but they've blown in being in this government.

Possibly though I believe that most Labour supporters would probably consider Meretz too dovish and too weak to govern. They elected their first government to not include a major military figure and it got them a defeat in Lebanon. I don't think they will allow that to happen for a long while.

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That seems most likely unless someone else comes to the forefront in Kadima. I've heard some good things about Dalia Itzik, the current Speaker of the Knesset, she may have a good shot at leadership if Olmert steps down. However as of now it seems that Bibi is the option that would look the best to most Israeli voters.