TO MANY "SUPRISE UPSET" why dont we just change the name Israel to "SUPRISE UPSET" OLmert & Peretz are also " Suprise Upset " LOL :))))) come on man RESIGN for GOOD !

for treason. While we face an overwhelming level of corruption one by one the guilty will fall.

This is a welcome and refreshing approach for those who are unable to keep up with the influx of news on the subject . Great idea - recommend it for future big stories as well

How long can Israel's public defenders abroad continue to justify the filth and corruption emanating form that land? Supporters will be harder and harder to find, unless Israel cleans up its act.

If he smokes cigars and swears under oath that "I did not have sex with that woman," it's time to roll in the aisles.

In a Muslim state, no one would be charged. There would never be an investigation unless there was another political reason & then, it wouldn't matter even if there was no crime. Look what that anti-Semite Mathahir did in Malaysia to a Mr. Anwar -

Actually it is VERY good for Israel that people see that you punish the MAN for sexual crimes against a woman. Contrast this with a recent story of some poor 18 year old Iranian woman who was raped or attacked for rape and fought back. She kicked their rear ends and even killed one. YEAH!!!! And you know what she got? She got the death penalty. THAT is the travesty of justice. It took public pressure to get her "released" and now she still has to pay bribe money to the dead rapist's family!!!! They should be paying her. Everyone knows politicians are scum. Israel has politicians, too. So it is to be expected. It's how you handle your scum that separates you from evil people. Go Israel.

My definition of a loser is someone who gives up. By that reckoning Shimon Peres is not a loser because he will probably be the next President. He never gives up.

The public has been kept ignorant about the names of those who are complaining against the president. There must be a reason for this holding back of elements of truth (?) in exchange for some kind of protection of identity. But, the public has already condemned him before a trial. The media have made sure that he is guilty. Is this democracy? The government is out of focus. The Knesset has forgotten who elected it. The public, the citizens will certainly be focused when the next election comes. The citizens will not make the same mistakes.

You are absolutely correct. Member of Knesset Shelly Yacimovich called on President Moshe Katsav to resign before finding him guilty. She is a very close friend of Shimon Peres who lost the election to Katsav and is dying to be the President of Israel. I will not be surprised if he does not have a hand in all this

B"H What exactly is the Israeli law on rape, now that this is the issued charge. Can some lawyer out there in Israel cite the relevant Hebrew laws and perhaps also cite the English listings? I do not understand fully what he is charged with yet according to Israeli law since I do not have such full background. If there is trial in the press, it is helpful to have full detail on what exactly the charges and evidence is. So far the charge is rape that means something different in the United States I assume than Israel, and we need the relevant Israeli law cited. Quote 1 references some of the framework, and I am not sure it is accurate. But the definition listed there is, "(85) Article 345(a) defines rape as the penetration of a woman’s sexual organs without her free consent. The question of the use of force or the possible causes for the lack of the woman’s free will is no longer part of the definition." (Quote 1) With these charges now on the table, I do not see substantiating evidence of any of these charges yet. We will have to see if any of these charges are actually substantiated by the press or Manzuz as the proceedings continue. Quote 1: http://web.amnesty.org/library/index/engmde150372005 Legal framework Several Israeli laws address the issue of violence against women.(84) The Penal Law (1977) was amended in 1998 to set a minimum four year prison sentences for those convicted of rape, indecent acts and incest. The minimum four year prison sentence can be reduced in mitigating circumstances but cannot be entirely replaced by probation. In 2001, the Penal Code was further amended to expand the definition of rape.(85) As noted below, however, marital rape is not specifically criminalized. ... (85) Article 345(a) defines rape as the penetration of a woman’s sexual organs without her free consent. The question of the use of force or the possible causes for the lack of the woman’s free will is no longer part of the definition.

The legal burden is on the AG to proof beyond resonable doubt.The prosecution must show evidence which implicates him and one that confirms in some material particular not only the evidence that the crime of rape has been commited but also that the he has committed it.Here it is going to be one testimony against another.

He should be immediately arrested and prosecuted to the fullest extend of the law.

Israel has more stomach for investigating wrongdoing by the powerful than we have in the US. Despite numerous, credible accusations by women with no political ax to grind there was never an organized inquiry into Bill Clinton's alleged sexual assaults.

I am very surprised at all of you, what ever happened to “Innocent until proven guilty”? Especially since there are quite a number of people who have it in their best interests to frame him, and they also have the resources to do it.

Why are we surprised by the President's sexual wrongdoing , we have to remember that the whole political system in Israel is a wrongdiong and in continuos failures, these failures are surprisingly increase day by day , WHY ?

I strongly suspect that he has been setup and framed. In anycase, he has been so deeply slandered in the media, he does not stand a chance for even a semi-objective trial. We see that suspect behavior of other politicians passes by almost unnoticed. Here for some reason honosty and public trust have become the banners of those pursuing him. Who investigates those people running the investigation?

Mr. Expat, did you take time off from painting the roses red to post your talkback? Off with his head, then the trial!