Following the police’s recommendation that he be put on trial for the rape of two women and other sexual offenses, as well as protests from several Knesset members from the entire political spectrum, President Moshe Katsav informed the Knesset's director that he will not attend the opening of the plenum’s winter session, scheduled for Monday.
The President's Bureau released a report Monday saying that the president was surprised and amazed by the police's recommendations. He was convinced the attorney’s office and the Attorney General would find there was no evidence to back the suspicions, and the truth would come out.
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| Police: Charge Katsav with rape / Efrat Weiss |
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Police representatives meet with Attorney General Menachem Mazuz, State Prosecutor Eran Shendar and present them with complete investigation file. According to police, case includes sufficient evidence against president for raping, indecent assaulting and sexual harassing several women. Other evidence points to infractions regarding pardons, suspicion of illegal wire-tapping |
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The report also said, “The president emphasizes that he is the victim of a low plot set against him. Sooner or later all the plots against him will be proven false. Still, everyone must respect the law, even those who hurry to condemn. No one is above the law.”
Chairman of the Meretz faction Zahava Gal-On said that President Katsav's decision to abstain from attending the opening of the Knesset's winter session "has saved all of us embarrassment."
According to Gal-On, "this is the first step for him in announcing his resignation in order to prevent the Knesset from having to begin impeachment processes."
MK Michael Eitan (Likud) lauded the president's decision, but emphasized that Katsav's abstention was in no way an admission of guilt. "This was a decent act, prioritizing the integrity of the presidential title before a private, legitimate struggle to defend himself," he said.
What’s next for Katsav? According to sources in the President’s Bureau, he is currently ‘weighing all of his options.’
Katsav’s attorney Zion Amir told Ynet Monday that if the president would be indicted, he would certainly have to consider the situation.
“If an indictment is filed, I don’t think the president will look for deals; he will apparently reach the necessary conclusions,” Amir said.
According to Amir, Katsav is fervently denying the allegations against him and will demand a hearing at the attorney general’s office prior to the final decision on whether to file an indictment against him.
Dr. Suzie Navot, a legal expert from
the College of Management's Academic Studies Division, told Ynet Sunday evening that "following the police recommendations, it would be appropriate for the president to resign from office."
According to the police, there is sufficient evidence that the president committed rape, indecent assault and sexual harassment against several women. The president is also suspected of obstruction of justice and harassing a witness.
Attila Somfalvi contributed to the report
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