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Katsav: I've been publicly smeared
Aviram Zino
Published: 25.08.06, 13:56
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30 Talkbacks for this article
1. Though summer still lingered...
Norway ,   Shabbat Shalom :)   (08.25.06)
and the day was bright and sunny, there was a change in the air. One smelled already the Elul-scent; a teshuvah-wind was blowing... Everyone grew more serious, more thoughtful... All awaited the call of the shofar, the first blast that would announce the opening of the gates of the month of mercy... – Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneerson, describing the Shabbat before Elul in the town of Lubavitch
2. giulty
Israel   (08.25.06)
Katzav did it he must go.
3. Israeli leaders becoming horny in wartime? I wonder why?
Palestinian   (08.25.06)
4. Dirty old man
Israeli   (08.25.06)
He is a dirty old man, he must go!
5. Taking Attention Away from Kadima's Ineptitude and Blunders
Nannette ,   London, UK   (08.25.06)
The international media can see how Kadima is responsible for the Katsav set-up. And now, Yachimovich is confirming it! The allegations changed suddenly from sexual harrassment to rape... this whole story stinks to high heaven. If Kadima stoop so low, just to take the heat off themselves, because of their ineptitude during the war with Hizbollah, it just goes to prove that they`re the scum of the earth, who don`t deserve menial jobs. even as toilet cleaners, let alone as politicians. They should all stand down, because between them, they couldn`t fight their way out of a paper bag, let alone a war!
6. Its still a spin
Oscar/Academy   (08.25.06)
a desperate one. Hang on a minute, besides the 'missing' purse, shouldn't she be pregnant or demanding a paternity test, come on S.criptoMovitch/PRmanipilators/attorney /wannabe a celeb/ -get a move on...
7. Maybe
An actual worker ,   Israel   (08.25.06)
if you did something actually useful and/or didn't command such a relatively freakishly large salary, you wouldn't be such a juicy target.
8. Stranger things have happened
J K ,   NYC, USA   (08.25.06)
Didnt Clinton get a hummer from Lewinsky while having Arafat cool his heels in the Rose Garden?
9. What goes around comes around.
Avi ,   Chicago   (08.25.06)
You publicly smeared the Reform Rabbi. What goes around comes around. Now you're getting yours. How do you like it? Jews should stick together, not smear each other. A lesson you should have learned a long time ago.
10. Strange
Nir ,   Kibbutz HaDarom   (08.25.06)
They let him go on vacation when they are considering sending him to jail if found guilty?
11. Why didn't she report the first rape and resign???
Nannette ,   London, UK   (08.25.06)
The woman's a money grabbing, attention seeker, working on behalf of the sleazy Kadima government, to smear the President, who doesn't agree with their bumbling, traitrous, politics. The people of Israel should demand that the scumbags calling themselves Kadima, RESIGN immediately!
12. Smear Campaign
Gedaliah Gurfein ,   Jerusalem, Israel   (08.25.06)
I agree. Israel prides itself as the "Democracy of the Middle East" and yet doesn't seem to have clue what that means. One of the most basic principles is "innocent until proven guilty" and in our sorry media poisned state it is just the oppossite. I would suggest the media take a look at "who had it out for the Prez." Could it have been the so-called, or not called "Rabbi" of the reform movement who was so outraged by the Prez not calling him "Rabbi"? Funny how all this news broke almost the day or two after? Gee, I wonder....
13. Do justice!
Sidney ,   USA   (08.25.06)
I do not know whether President Katsav is guilty or innocent but his treatment by the media is shameless. At least in the US a person is deemed innocent until found guilty in a court of law. We have accussations by one anonymous former employee being used to destroy a man. Somehow the women's movement has convinced fools that victims of alleged sexual crimes are in a different category than all other crime victims. We in the US know that women often use the threat of sexual accusation as a weapon against their superiors. In my little town, it has been used twice recently. In neither case was anything proved, but it caused one man his job and career. I expect that in a Jewish state there will be justice. Remember the first injunction of Micah "do justice". Speculation about a successor to Katsav is just plain vulgar.
14. NIS 100 million per year - FOR WHAT!!!
RF ,   Israel   (08.25.06)
It's high time to do away with the office of the presidency. Israel doesn't need and can't afford a worthless figurehead.
15. Presidsent Katsav
Hetty Peleg   (08.25.06)
The bible says that we should pray for those in high position If we don t and didn t then we are guilty as we are of the allegations
16. We Await..
Erik   (08.25.06)
..the moment that the accuser - with her lawyer and Yacimovich in tow - can furnish the semen stained blue dress a la Monica Lewinsky. Otherwise, this remains an unsubstantiated accusation. Yacimovich's premature, biased statement is unfortunately endemic to an Israeli govt., military and press elite which believes in shooting from the lip at all costs (something we learned all too well from the recent non-war).
17. It Takes 2 to Tango
John ,   NZ   (08.25.06)
18. Good Bye Katzab
Hermann ,   Geneva   (08.25.06)
19. Why Israel lost war ?
Mohamed ,   Egypt   (08.25.06)
Because all their commanders are busy having sex with their secretaries heheheheheh
20. publicly smeared, you broke my heart
moe ,   montreal, Qc   (08.25.06)
you raped the girl you idiot, what did you expect? people cheering for you or what? time to go, hell be with you.
21. 19
(08.25.06)
With you people, it happends as well but no one speaks about it. This is the difference. Israel is a democracy and everything has to be out in the open. So ha ha ha back at you!!!
22. guilty AND smeared.
tal ,   tsfat, israel   (08.25.06)
23. *** You know what?! ***
Mustapha ,   Tripoli, Lebanon   (08.25.06)
First of all, I am NO fan of Israel. (check other comments I left on this site lambasting israel for savagly killing civilians in my country) But truth be told, if a similar kind of scandal happens in any arab country (a president or king rapes his secretary), it would have been covered up and nobody would have heard about it. Moreover, if the victim complains, she would have been banished from the country. Israel's justice system (no matter how crooked it is) should be praised for bringing to light cases like this. Arabs could learn a lesson or two from this!
24. No multiple rape victim continues working for her rapist!
Nannette ,   London, UK   (08.25.06)
I believe that this set-up is a reflection of the debase and sick minds of the Kadima party who orchestrated it. Someone should really dig the dirt on Yacimovich, and see what skeletons she hides in her closet! Far more than Katsav, I'm sure. NO rape victim would continue working for the man who raped her - and she'd also have filed a full complaint with the police and doctors long before now. How much is Ms. A being paid to cruelly smear Katsav?????
25. #17 Haven't u heard of the word "victim"
anne ,   netanya, israel   (08.25.06)
I wonder what you would say if it were your sister , wife or mother who had been the victim.
26. #23 - Mustapha
Scott ,   Haifa   (08.25.06)
Thanks for your honesty - appreciated. We're not a perfect country, probably everyone can learn things from each other.
27. Rush to judgement
Dr. Coambs ,   Canada   (08.26.06)
From Canada: So far, what has appeared in the English-language main-stream media on the allegations about the Israeli president looks very tentative. It seems far too early to declare that he is a despicable person. As the web site ifeminists.com points out repeatedly, many accusations of sexual abuse are untrue, and many more cannot be proven one way or the other. Many incidents like this are proven correct, but many are not. Michael Jackson, Kobe Bryant, and many more have been accused incorrectly. Many sexual offenders have gone free. It seems fair to suggest that this man should be given a fair trial, before he is roasted so heartily by the main-stream media. It also seems fair to wait for a full disclosure of evidence before people rush to defame the accuser. When the main-stream media parades the accusation in this way, they attract backlash against the accuser, and she gets sucked down into the mess as well. How would you like it if it happened to you? There are many reasons why this woman may have continued to work for this man while sexual abuse was ongoing. In stressful times, we are prone to make mistakes. Posted by Dr. Coambs
28. Do unto others as you would have done to you...
Truth ,   USA   (08.26.06)
Of all peoples of the world Jews should never take part in such smearing and maligning of one who has not been proven guilty of anything. These accusations remain completely unsubstantiated. Yet it is sad to see Jews who have been verbally smeared and ganged up on from time immemorial to the loss of their homes, families, jobs, property, peace of mind, and lives, jumping on this bandwagon. Don't do such least you perpetuate the same types of deplorable crimes leveled against Israel and Jews. Consider BBC, LA Times, Guardian, NY Times, Reuters, etc. they've done more damage to Israel than Hezbolla or Iran. Truth, their "tongue slaying" assists Hezbolla, Iran, and all enemies of Israel towards their stated goal of destroying Israel. The principles are the same. So why would you assist in destroying another likewise? “Do unto others as you would have done unto you.” Quote: Jesus Christ “Jesus Christ, the Greatest Jew” Quote: Albert Einstein
29. #24 - Absolutely correct!
(08.26.06)
30. Yacimovich: Don't you know it's professional
(08.26.06)
to shut your mouth until you have substantiable facts? Otherwise you run the risk of being shown an unprofessional fool.
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