Katsav will not be impeached
Seven Knesset House Committee members vote in favor of impeaching President Moshe Katsav, but proposal rejected as approval requires majority of 19 MKs
Six committee members out of 25 were not allowed to take part in the voting after missing a number of committee meetings.
The proposal was supported by MKs Shelly Yacimovich (Labor), Zahava Gal-On (Meretz, Limor Livnat (Likud), Nadia Hilou (Labor), Colette Avital (Labor), Gideon Sa'ar (Likud) and Dov Khenin (Hadash).
MKs Nissim Ze'ev (Shas), David Azoulay (Shas), Itshac Galantee (Pensioners Party) and Meir Porush (United Torah Judaism) opposed the proposal. MK Ruhama Avraham (Kadima) abstained, while MK Michael Eitan (Likud) refused to take part in the voting.
Knesset House Committee, Wednesday (Photo: Gil Yohanan)
MK Colette Avital (Labor) said following the decision that the damage the president caused to the State of Israel was inexcusable.
"No one abroad understands what is happening here. The president is making fools of us all," she said.
Avraham abstains, but urges Katsav to resign
MK Zahava Gal-On did not like the farce of a meaningful discussion.
"I am sad to discover that the Knesset's disgrace has been revealed in full. A Knesset which is incapable of impeaching a president allegedly accused of severe sex offenses, is failing in its moral and legal duty to the public."
MK LImor Livnat said, "I am ashamed of those Knesset members who are enabling the president, who is suspected of severe offense of rape and sexual harassment, to remain in his post. They have shamed the Knesset in the way they voted."
MK Ruhama Avraham, chairwoman of the Knesset House Committee, abstained in the voting but later called on Katsav to resign.
"There is no doubt that from the public aspect, particularly when we are talking about the State's no. 1 citizen, it is inappropriate for him to remain in such a high position.
"The impeachment procedure began too early, before the attorney general made his final decision, and therefore I decided to abstain in the voting at the current stage," she explained.
In the meantime, the suspended president is waiting for his hearing. Attorney General Menachem Mazuz announced two weeks ago that the hearing would be held on May 2, following a request made by Katsav's lawyers.
After the hearing, Mazuz will make a final decision on whether to indict the president.
