After months of High Court petitions, emotional media battles and a never ending stream of rumors suspended President Moshe Katsav may clear his name on Wednesday.
| Suspended President |
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| Katsav protests Knesset committee's decision over suspension / Amnon Meranda |
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President's attorneys claim that Knesset House Committee overstepped its bounds when it decided to extend Katsav's suspension until the end of his tenure |
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But that may prove far easier said than done as his attorneys must dissuade Attorney General Menachem Mazuz from indicting Katsav on charges of rape, harassment and breach of trust
Attorneys Zion Amir, Avigdor Feldman and Abraham Lavi are scheduled to appear before Mazuz at 10 am for one of the most publicized hearings in Israeli history.
Sources say that Katsav's legal representation plans to arrive laden with piles of documents and statements, far more information than they could possibly present in the three hours allotted for the meeting. Mazuz, it is expected, will grant them a second hearing.
Despite being accused of having already made up his mind on the impending indictment, Mazuz has said that he is willing to hear out Katsav's attorneys and will do so with an open mind.
In 2001, MK Tzachi Hanegbi managed to convince then Attorney General Elyakim Rubenstein to drop the indictment pending against him on charges of theft and laundering. Rubenstein was persuaded that the evidence compiled by the State was insufficient to win a sound conviction.
Ynet has learned that the president's attorneys will present new evidence in their final bid to prevent the case from going to trial. The lawyers held dozens of meetings in advance and have also simulated the hearing process to locate weak points in their case.
Lior Katsav, the president's brother, told Ynet that at the final meeting on Monday evening the president was optimistic and hopeful. "The attorneys are bringing a lot of evidence with them which will prove to Mazuz and his team that the indictment isn't justified and that the president's version is true. They're very confident that they'll be able to convince them that the charges are baseless."
Katsav's associates also cite the opinions of Jerusalem District prosecutor Eli Abarbanel and that of Efrat Barzilai, who heads the criminal justice department at the state attorney's office. Both have said that there is no foundation to base the indictment on.
"We’re coming to this hearing determined and convinced of the validity of our claims," said Katsav's leading attorney Zion Amir. "From the materials handed over to us and our own investigative materials, we are surer than ever today that the attorney general's willingness to listen is genuine.
"Our claims are staid and have substantial weight and they ground all the indictment charges. It is both our professional estimation and personal faith that our claims will be met with understanding.
"According criterion laid down by Mazuz indictments are only filed when there exists a reasonable chance of winning a conviction and in this case, that chance does not exist."
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