Human Rights Alert (NGO)

Joseph Zernik, PhD " PO Box 31440, Jerusalem 91313, Israel; jz12345@earthlink.net ; 91313 04413

11-11-13 Moshe Katzav compilation of media reports Attached:

Record 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 11-07-15 Moshe Katzav_Wikipedia 07-01-25 Series of Sordid Corruption Charges Nears Its Nadir in Israel - New York Times 07-06-29 Israel Drops Rape Charges as President Agrees to Quit - New York Times 07-06-30 Israels Deal Over Rape Charges Is Criticized as President Resigns - New York Times 08-04-09 Former Israeli President Drops Plea Deal - New York Times 09-03-19 Moshe Katsav, Israel's former president, charged with rape - Times Online 10-11-05 The objects of his affection_Haaretz 10-12-30 Israeli Ex-President, Katsav, Is Convicted of Rape NYTimes 11-01-06 Moshe Katzav_ Shock and anger sweep Israel - but also pride 11-03-22 Former Israeli president Katsav sentenced to 7 years for rape - The Washington Post 11-03-22 Israeli Ex-President, Katsav, Sentenced in Rape Case NYTimes 11-05-03 Katzav prison senetence delayed until hearing on requests for longer postponement_Haaretz 11-05-06 Court releases transcripts of Katzav trial_Haaretz 11-05-09 State expected to oppose Katzav request to put off jail time for rape convictions_Haaretz 11-05-19 Former president Katzav to stay out of jail until appeal_Haaretz 11-05-19 Katzav ruling undermines public trust in the courts_Haaretz 11-05-19 Supreme Court seems more concerned with Katzav than his victims_Haaretz 11-07-11 Katzav's private investigators suspected of hrassing witnesses in his rape trial_Haaretz 11-07-11 Moshe Katsav, Former Israeli President, Now Suspected Of Harassing Rape Case Witness_Huffington Post 11-07-11 Suspect charged with harrassing Katzav witnesses has criminal background_ Haaretz 11-07-12 Police suspect former President Katzav hired private investigators to intimidate trial witnesses_Haaretz 11-11-10 Israel's Supreme Court upholds former President Katsav's rape conviction, 7-year jail term _ Haaretz 11-11-10 Timeline - Katzav's rape trial comes to an end after more than 5 years _ Haaretz Page # 2 10 13 16 18 21 22 24 28 31 33 36 37 38 39 41 42 44 45 52 53 55 57

Former President Moshe Katsav on his way to Supreme Court, to hear the decision on his appeal, November 10, 2011.

Moshe Katsav

Moshe Katsav
Moshe Katsav

8th President of Israel In office 1 August 2000 1 July 2007 Prime Minister Ehud Barak Ariel Sharon Ehud Olmert Preceded by Succeeded by Ezer Weizman Shimon Peres Personal details Born Nationality 5 December 1945Yazd, Iran Israeli

Political party Likud Spouse(s) Children Profession Religion Gila Katsav (1969-present) 5 Politician Judaism

Moshe Katsav (Hebrew: , born Musa Qasab, December 5, 1945) is a former Israeli politician.[1] He served as the eighth President of Israel, a leading Likud member of the Israeli Knesset, and a Cabinet Minister in its government. The end of his presidency was marked by controversy, stemming from allegations of rape of one female subordinate and sexual harassment of others. Katsav resigned the presidency on 1 July 2007.[2] [3] In a landmark and unprecedented case,[4] [5] on 30 December 2010, Katsav was convicted of two counts of rape,[6] obstruction of justice and other charges.[4] [5] On 22 March 2011, Katsav was handed a seven-year sentence by an Israeli court for rape and other sexual offences, in what became a landmark ruling.

Moshe Katsav

Early life
Katsav was born in Yazd, Iran as Musa Qasab.[7] His family brought him to Tehran when he was an infant; in June 1951, when he was five, they emigrated to Israel. He remains fluent in Persian. Upon arriving in Israel, the Katsav family was ultimately dispatched to an immigrant tent-camp in Israel's south, inland from the port city of Ashdod. In the winter of 1951, severe flooding inundated the camp, and Katsav's two-month-old brother Zion died[8] . Young Katsav and his family lived in a tent in the transit camp for two years. They then spent an additional four years in a temporary hut. By then, the transit camp in which the Katsavs had been living had been transformed into the "development town" of Kiryat Mal'akhi.

Education, family
Katsav attended the Hebrew University of Jerusalem beginning in 1968, and while studying he taught history and mathematics in a high school. He graduated in 1971 with a Bachelor of Arts in economics and history. He has been married to Gila, since 1969. The couple has five children and two grandchildren. After a 30-year career in banking, Katsav's wife has devoted herself to charity and volunteer work, especially in groups fighting domestic violence and promoting women's rights, and providing aid and services to disabled children and children from disadvantaged homes.

Early political career

Katsav joined the Likud Party, and at the age of 24 was elected the mayor of Kiryat Mal'akhi, the small town in which he was raised. He was subsequently elected as a Member of the Knesset in 1977.

Cabinet minister
In the governments of Menachem Begin and Yitzhak Shamir, Katsav served as the deputy Minister of Construction and Housing (198183). He then served as the Minister of Labor and Welfare in the national unity government which served from 1984-88. During 1988-92 he served as the Transportation Minister under Yitzhak Shamir, and under Benjamin Netanyahu's first government (19961999), he served as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism.[9] The public positions filled by Katsav include the following: Chairman of the Iranian Immigrants Organization; Chairman of the commission to determine higher education tuition; and Member of Ben-Gurion University Board of Trustees.

Moshe Katsav

Presidency
After serving as Deputy Prime Minister in Netanyahu's government, Katsav vied for the position of President, running as the opposition candidate against Shimon Peres. In a surprising upset, he defeated Peres to become the president of Israel, being elected by the Knesset on 31 July 2000. He took 63 votes (over 57 for Peres), two more than the required majority of 61, and was sworn in on 1 August. He was the first President of Israel to have been sworn in for a seven-year term, as well as the first candidate from the right wing Likud party to be elected to the office.
President Moshe Katsav accompanied by Knesset Speaker

The office of the Israeli President is largely ceremonial, Avraham Burg reviewing IDF honor guard at the swearing-in ceremony of Katsav in the Knesset. with no executive powers save pardoning prisoners and commuting sentences. Nevertheless, each president emphasizes different aspects of the role during his tenure. In 2003, on a visit to Italy, he demanded that the Vatican restore treasures allegedly brought to Rome after the fall of Jerusalem in 70 AD.[10] On 8 April 2005, the alphabetic ordering of leaders during the funeral of Pope John Paul II resulted in Katsav sitting near Iranian President Mohammad Khatami who, like Katsav, was born in the Iranian city of Yazd. Katsav told the press that he shook Khatami's hand and spoke to him in Persian. Khatami later denied this.[11]

Rape and sexual harassment case

Initial allegations
In July 2006, Katsav complained to the Attorney General of Israel, Menahem Mazuz, that he was being blackmailed by one of his female employees.[12] The investigation quickly turned against Katsav as the employee, referred to as A., alleged sexual offences.[13] The eventual allegations asserted that Katsav had sexually harassed up to ten women, including the first woman's charge of rape. His house was raided by police on 22 August, where they seized computers and documents. There were calls for him to resign or suspend himself from the presidency. This came only days after Justice Minister Haim Ramon's resignation after a police investigation, also over alleged sexual harassment, had led to Ramon's indictment.[14] Katsav was questioned on 23 August ("under warning") by police in connection with the accusations of sexual harassment and corruption, including A.'s rape charge.[15] On 7 September, after concluding the fourth investigation into the matter, and having received complaints from at least four different women (according to IBA's correspondent for police affairs), the Israel Police determined that they had enough evidence for an indictment. On that day, the Judges' Election Committee unanimously approved the appointment of Dorit Beinisch as president of the Supreme Court of Israel. Katsav refrained from attending, "to prevent dispute".[16]

Moshe Katsav

Avoids ceremony
On 13 September, the Knesset's House Committee approved Katsav's request for a day's leave of absence so that he could refrain from attending and presiding over Beinisch's formal swearing-in ceremony, normally held in the presidential compound, now to be held in the Knesset.[17] The Committee's chairwoman, Ruhama Avraham, did, however, advise Katsav to opt for a more lengthy leave.[18] Katsav was interviewed by police for the fifth time, from 10:00 a.m. till at least 7:00 p.m. Police confirmed that seven women had by then testified against Katsav, and that the allegations now also included "breach of trust, fraud, and involvement in illegal wiretapping".[19] Speaking on the case for the first time, on 18 September, Israel's Attorney General, Menachem Mazuz, stated in an interview that the likelihood of Katsav's claim that he had been made the victim of a plot was "fairly slim," given the "long line of women who complained against him." [20] [21] By 21 September, the number of women accusing Katsav of sexual assault had risen to eight.[22] On 15 October 2006, police recommended pursuing rape and sexual harassment charges against Katsav. Complaints by five of the women would not be pursued because the statute of limitations had run out.[23] Katsav was advised on 29 October by Israel's attorney general, Menachem Mazuz, to step down from his presidential duties and suspend himself as long as the possibility of his indictment remained under consideration. Katsav, who continued to deny the allegations, had announced, via his lawyers, that if indicted he would resign.[24] [25]

Suspension and resignation

On 23 January 2007 Attorney-General Mazuz announced that he would consider charging Katsav with rape, sexual harassment, breach of trust, obstruction of justice, harassment of a witness and fraud. The president is immune from prosecution while in office, and could only be tried after the end of his term in August 2007 or after his resignation. The final decision on indictment would be made after a hearing where Katsav could present his case. Katsav had declined to resign as president[26] , but had a three-month leave of absence approved by the Knesset on 25 January. Knesset Speaker Dalia Itzik had assumed the office of president in the interim in a "caretaker" capacity.[3] On 7 March 2007, Katsav survived an attempt to impeach him[27] by the Knesset House Committee. His seven-year term was scheduled to run out constitutionally on 15 July 2007. However, in accordance with a plea agreement, he resigned effective 1 July 2007. Katsav thus became the second President in a row to resign due to legal problems, after Ezer Weizman in 2000. Shimon Peres was elected to succeed Katsav on 13 June 2007.

Claims of witch-hunt and conviction by media

On 24 January 2007, Katsav held a press conference wherein he accused journalists of persecuting him and judging him before all the evidence has been presented. He also claimed that the media has been hostile to his presidency ever since he defeated Shimon Peres, quoting an op-ed piece in The Jerusalem Post by Amotz Asa-El which claimed that Katsav's election was "the end of Zionism" and others that compared his election to the Rabin assassination.[28] At one point, Katsav got into a heated argument with Channel 2 reporter and news anchor Gadi Sukenik, accusing him and his channel of conducting a witch-hunt. Katsav declared his intention to suspend himself temporarily in light of the charges of rape and sexual harassment, though he had refused to step down unless he is indicted. The speech drew shock and condemnation, as well as amazement, from journalists, politicians, and legal figures.[29] In a talk scheduled minutes after Katsav's speech ended, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert stated that he should resign from the presidency. Katsav yesterday delivered the speech of his life. To his great regret, under tragic circumstances. But it was a Shakespearean speech. It is a Shakespearean drama which unveils before your eyes. You occasionally rub your eyes and say: 'Wait, am I in a theater or am I sitting on an arm chair at home watching my president, live?'[30] Yisrael Segel, Israeli author and journalist

Moshe Katsav Katsav's brother Lior claimed in March 2009 that the eventual decision to indict Katsav amounted to "blood libel".[31]

Plea bargaining and indictment

On 28 June 2007, Katsav's lawyers reached a plea bargain with Israels attorney general, Menachem Mazuz. According to the deal, Katsav would plead guilty to several counts of sexual harassment and indecent acts and receive a suspended jail sentence, and pay compensation to two of his victims. The more serious rape charges brought by the initial employee, A., had been dropped, as well as Katsav's original charges of her blackmailing him. This led to widespread condemnation of this deal among the general public and in particular from organizations devoted to women's rights: opinion polls showed that 70 percent of the public were dissatisfied with the deal[32] [33] , and over 20,000 protesters attended a rally against it at Rabin Square in Tel Aviv.[32] Despite the protests, the attorney general said the agreement would still shame Katsav while sparing humiliation of the office, and that there were in any event problems with the evidence owing to the lengthy timeline; Katsav's attorneys said they accepted the deal to avoid an arduous trial.[13] On 30 October 2007, the state prosecution told the High Court of Justice that it had changed its mind about the indictment on the basis of the evidence from the two key complainants, citing a meeting with Katsav's attorneys that highlighted contradictions within their testimony, including an affectionate letter from one of the complainants after the two rapes allegedly occurred. The court would rule on a later date on whether Menahem Mazuz's changed position was warranted. The move garnered harsh criticism from the complainants' attorneys.[34] Katsav called off the plea bargain by April 2008, convinced, according to one of his lawyers, Avigdor Feldman, that the prosecution did not have enough evidence to convict him,[35] leaving the prosecutors to decide whether or not to prepare a new indictment.[35]

Trial and conviction

In March 2009, Katsav was formally indicted for rape and other sexual offences in Tel Aviv district court.[36] His trial on two counts of rape and other sexual offences took place between August 2009 and June 2010.[37] Katsav's testimony began in January 2010.[38] The trial was held behind closed doors (as is customary in trials of sexual offences) and a media ban was imposed on the details of the trial, witnesses and testimony. The ban was lifted in August 2010, when protocols of the trial were released.[39] On 30 December 2010, Katsav was unanimously found guilty of "rape, sexual harassment, committing an indecent act while using force, harassing a witness and obstruction of justice" by a three-judge panel.[4] Presiding Judge George Kara read the verdict which stated that Katsav "engaged in a campaign of vilification against the plaintiffs".[40] The former president could face a maximum sentence of 49 years, but this will be decided in a few months.[4] [41] Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that it was "a sad day for Israel", but that the verdict shows that in Israel "all are equal before the law, and that every woman has exclusive rights to her body."[42] The conviction was described as "landmark"[4] and "unprecedented"[5] , and the story featured prominently in the international media.[43]

Sentence
On 22 March 2011, Moshe Katsav was sentenced to seven years in prison and two years probation for rape, indecent acts, sexual harassment and obstruction of justice, becoming the first former Israeli head of state to be sentenced to prison. In addition, he was ordered to pay one of the women he raped a sum of 100,000 NIS and another a sum of 25,000 NIS.[44] Katsav's lawyer Tzion Amir told reporters later the same day that the sentence will be appealed to the Supreme Court.[45]

Moshe Katsav

References
[1] http:/ / www. allvoices. com/ contributed-news/ 8547758-moshe-katsav-former-israeli-president-jailed-for-rape [2] President Katsav told to leave official residence in Jerusalem following leave of absence (http:/ / www. iht. com/ articles/ ap/ 2007/ 01/ 31/ africa/ ME-GEN-Israel-President. php) Associated Press, 31 January 2007 [3] Bousso, Ron (25 January 2007). "Israel's bland president Katsav facing disgrace" (http:/ / news. yahoo. com/ s/ afp/ 20070125/ en_afp/ israelpoliticsjustice_070125155340). AFP (via Yahoo! News). . Retrieved 2007-01-25. [4] Friedman, Ron (31 December 2010). "Moshe Katsav convicted of rape, faces long jail term" (http:/ / www. jpost. com/ NationalNews/ Article. aspx?id=201648). The Jerusalem Post. . Retrieved 31 December 2010. [5] "lsraeli ex-president guilty of rape: Judges say Moshe Katsav's testimony was "riddled with lies" before passing verdict in Tel Aviv" (http:/ / english. aljazeera. net/ news/ middleeast/ 2010/ 12/ 2010123083812287264. html). Al Jazeera. 30 December 2010. . Retrieved 30 December 2010. [6] "Israel ex-President Moshe Katsav found guilty of rape" (http:/ / www. bbc. co. uk/ news/ world-middle-east-12091982). BBC. 2010-12-30. . Retrieved 2010-12-30. [7] Hartman, Ben (December 31, 2010). "Timeline: Immigrant, president, rapist" (http:/ / www. jpost. com/ NationalNews/ Article. aspx?id=201658). Jpost.com. . [8] http:/ / webcache. googleusercontent. com/ search?q=cache:NpP2YHBsK9wJ:jewishrefugees. blogspot. com/ 2007_02_01_archive. html+ 1951+ Katsav+ brother+ Zion+ drowned+ flood& cd=3& hl=en& ct=clnk& gl=us& source=www. google. com [9] Knesset - Moshe Katsav (http:/ / www. knesset. gov. il/ mk/ eng/ mk_eng. asp?mk_individual_id_t=110), Roles in the Government [10] "Israeli President, Moshe Katzav, asks Vatican to reveal list of Temple treasures and Judaica held by them" (http:/ / www. templemountfaithful. org/ News/ 20030112. htm). Templemountfaithful.org. . Retrieved 2010-12-30. [11] BBC News (9 April 2005). "Iran denies contact with Israel" (http:/ / news. bbc. co. uk/ 1/ hi/ world/ middle_east/ 4425487. stm). . Retrieved 2008-08-26. [12] "A-G orders Katsav investigation" (http:/ / fr. jpost. com/ servlet/ Satellite?pagename=JPost/ JPArticle/ ShowFull& cid=1150885966462) The Jerusalem Post, 11 July 2006 [13] President Katsav of Israel to plead guilty to sex crimes but avoid jail (http:/ / www. iht. com/ articles/ 2007/ 06/ 28/ africa/ mideast. php) International Herald Tribune, 28 June 2007 [14] Police question Katsav; evidence said 'dramatic' (http:/ / haaretz. com/ hasen/ spages/ 753547. html) Haaretz, 23 August 2006 [15] Police question Israeli President over sex allegations (http:/ / www. timesonline. co. uk/ article/ 0,,251-2325188,00. html) The Times, 23 August 2006 [16] Today in the news (http:/ / switch3. castup. net/ cunet/ gm. asp?ai=31& ar=tvhayom) Israel Broadcasting Authority, 7 September 2006

(Hebrew)
[17] Alon, Gideon; Jonathan Lis, Mijal Grinberg (14 September 2006). "Katsav takes short leave of absence; probe turns to wire-tapping" (http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ 20070123103906/ http:/ / www. haaretz. com/ hasen/ spages/ 762306. html). Haaretz. Archived from the original (http:/ / www. haaretz. com/ hasen/ spages/ 762306. html) on 2007-01-23. . Retrieved 2007-01-26. "The Knesset House Committee on Wednesday approved by a 12-6 majority, with three abstentions, Katsav's request for the 16-hour leave, billed as "temporary incapacity," to enable Knesset Speaker Dalia Itzik to replace him at Thursday's swearing-in ceremony of Justice Dorit Beinisch as Supreme Court president." [18] Katsav avoids ceremonial duties (http:/ / news. bbc. co. uk/ 2/ hi/ middle_east/ 5343532. stm) BBC News, 13 September 2006 [19] "Katsav allegations include wiretapping" (http:/ / fr. jpost. com/ servlet/ Satellite?cid=1157913624624& pagename=JPost/ JPArticle/ ShowFull) The Jerusalem Post, 14 September 2006 [20] "Mazuz says Katsav was not made victim of libel" (http:/ / fr. jpost. com/ servlet/ Satellite?cid=1157913655553& pagename=JPost/ JPArticle/ ShowFull), Jerusalem Post, 18 September 2006 [21] "Katzav's investigation is at completion stages" (http:/ / www. haaretz. co. il/ hasite/ spages/ 764389. html), Haaretz, 19 September 2006 [22] "Eighth allegation of sexual assault filed against Katsav" (http:/ / www. haaretz. com/ hasen/ spages/ 765549. html), Haaretz, 21 September 2006 [23] "Rape Charge Advised Vs. Israel President" (http:/ / www. washingtonpost. com/ wp-dyn/ content/ article/ 2006/ 10/ 15/ AR2006101500301. html), The Washington Post, 15 October 2006 [24] "President must 'step down'" (http:/ / news. sky. com/ skynews/ article/ 0,,30200-13549364,00. html?f=rss). Sky News, 29 October 2006 [25] "Israeli president to be charged with rape" (http:/ / www. msnbc. msn. com/ id/ 16768688/ ), MSNBC, 23 January 2007 [26] "Israel's top citizen will also be charged with other sex crimes" (http:/ / fr. jpost. com/ servlet/ Satellite?cid=1167467796563& pagename=JPost/ JPArticle/ ShowFull), Jerusalem Post, 23 January 2007 [27] President Katsav escapes impeachment over likely rape charges (http:/ / www. haaretz. com/ hasen/ spages/ 834443. html) Haaretz, 7 March 2007 [28] 'Comment: Katsav's rending battle cry' (http:/ / fr. jpost. com/ servlet/ Satellite?cid=1167467807997& pagename=JPost/ JPArticle/ ShowFull), Jerusalem Post, 25 January 2007 [29] "Israeli law professors shocked by Katsav speech" (http:/ / story. malaysiasun. com/ index. php/ ct/ 9/ cid/ b8de8e630faf3631/ id/ 225651/ cs/ 1/ ), Malaysia Sun, 25 January 2007 [30] (Hebrew) " Yoman (http:/ / switch3. castup. net/ cunet/ gm. asp?ai=31& ar=yoman)", IBA, 25 January 2007

Moshe Katsav
[31] Zarchin, Tomer (2010-11-14). "Justice Ministry: Criticism of Katsav indictment is groundless Haaretz Daily Newspaper | Israel News" (http:/ / news. haaretz. co. il/ hasen/ pages/ ShArtStEng. jhtml?itemNo=1069719& contrassID=1& subContrassID=1& title='Lior Katsav: My brother is victim of a blood libel'& dyn_server=172. 20. 5. 5). News.haaretz.co.il. . Retrieved 2010-12-30. [32] "Thousands flock to Tel Aviv square to demand Israel's president stand trial on rape charges" (http:/ / www. iht. com/ articles/ ap/ 2007/ 06/ 30/ africa/ ME-GEN-Israel-President. php). International Herald Tribune. 30 June 2007. . Retrieved 2007-07-01. [33] Women's Coalition: Our intifada has begun (http:/ / www. ynetnews. com/ articles/ 0,7340,L-3419238,00. html) Ynet, 30 June 2007 [34] Dan Izenberg (2007-10-31). "'Evidence changed our minds about Katsav'" (http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ 20080418150944/ http:/ / www. jpost. com/ servlet/ Satellite?cid=1192380694016& pagename=JPost/ JPArticle/ ShowFull). The Jerusalem Post. Archived from the original (http:/ / fr. jpost. com/ servlet/ Satellite?cid=1192380694016& pagename=JPost/ JPArticle/ ShowFull) on 2008-04-18. . Retrieved 2008-08-26. [35] "Katsav to fight sex crime charges" (http:/ / news. bbc. co. uk/ 1/ hi/ world/ middle_east/ 7336807. stm). BBC News. 8 April 2008. . Retrieved 13 May 2010. [36] "Ex-Israeli leader Katsav indicted for rape" (http:/ / www. upi. com/ Top_News/ 2009/ 03/ 19/ Ex-Israeli_leader_Katsav_indicted_for_rape/ UPI-89681237487821). UPI.com. 2009-03-19. . Retrieved 2010-12-30. [37] Former Israeli president goes on trial on rape charges (http:/ / www. irishtimes. com/ newspaper/ world/ 2009/ 0901/ 1224253590220. html) irishtimes.com, 1 September 2009 [38] Unjustified blackout (http:/ / www. haaretz. com/ hasen/ spages/ 1142060. html) Haaretz, 12 January 2010 [39] "'Katsav rape trial protocols released '" (http:/ / www. jpost. com/ Israel/ Article. aspx?id=185018). The Jerusalem Post. 2010-08-17. . [40] "Former Israeli president guilty of rape" (http:/ / www. smh. com. au/ world/ former-israeli-president-guilty-of-rape-20101230-19b5s. html). The Sydney Morning Herald. 31 December 2010. . Retrieved 31 December 2010. [41] Zarchin, Tomer (2010-11-14). "Former President Katsav charged with two counts of rape, sexual abuse. Haaretz, 30.12.2919" (http:/ / www. haaretz. com/ news/ national/ former-president-katsav-charged-with-two-counts-of-rape-sexual-abuse-1. 334231). Haaretz.com. . Retrieved 2010-12-30. [42] Sobelman, Batsheva; Sanders, Edmund (31 December 2010). "Former Israeli President Moshe Katsav convicted of rape" (http:/ / www. latimes. com/ news/ nationworld/ world/ la-fg-israel-katsav-20101231,0,4453115. story). Los Angeles Times. . Retrieved 31 November 2010. [43] "How the world sees the Katsav verdict" (http:/ / www. jpost. com/ International/ Article. aspx?id=201558). The Jerusalem Post. 30 December 2010. . Retrieved 30 December 2010. [44] Ynet News: Moshe Katsav sentenced to 7 years in prison (http:/ / www. ynetnews. com/ articles/ 0,7340,L-4045757,00. html) ynetnews.com, 22 March 2011 [45] "'We will appeal; state's conduct merits probe'" (http:/ / www. jpost. com/ NationalNews/ Article. aspx?id=213262). Jerusalem Post. 22 March 2011. . Retrieved 22 March 2011. "Amir said that he would appeal the sentence to the Supreme Court."

External links
Moshe Katsav (http://www.knesset.gov.il/mk/eng/mk_eng.asp?mk_individual_id_t=110) Knesset website BBC Profile (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6054502.stm)

Article Sources and Contributors

Article Sources and Contributors

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January 25, 2007

Series of Sordid Corruption Charges Nears Its Nadir in Israel

By ST EVEN ERLANGER

HERZLIYA, Israel, Jan. 24 Prime Minister Ehud Olmert called Wednesday for President Moshe Katsavs resignation, after Israels attorney general announced his intention to indict Mr. Katsav on criminal charges including rape, abuse of power, obstruction of justice, fraud, sexual harassment and breach of trust. There is no doubt in my mind that the president cannot continue to fulfill his position and he must leave the presidents residence, Mr. Olmert said at the beginning of a speech at a security conference here. This is a sad day for the State of Israel. Mr. Olmert devoted much of his speech to the threat to Israel and the world from Iran, but he said little new, and his aides said he understood that the accusations against Mr. Katsav would dominate headlines. Mr. Katsav, 61, asked Wednesday for a leave of absence to try to clear his name, rebuffing loud calls from legislators and cabinet members, including the foreign and justice minister, Tzipi Livni, that he resign immediately. In an angry and caustic televised speech, Mr. Katsav strongly denied the allegations of rape, sexual misconduct and misuse of power, going back to his tenure as tourism minister in 1998. He castigated the police for earlier leaks to the news media, and said the news media listened only to his accusers, who he insisted were out to punish him for political and personal revenge. Mr. Katsav insisted that there is no truth, no evidence of the accusations against me. But he also said that if the attorney general, Menachem Mazuz, indicted him, he would resign. That indictment is considered highly likely, but a final decision will be made by Mr. Mazuz after a meeting with Mr. Katsav and his lawyers. Mr. Katsav, who was born in Iran, spoke to his constituency of Sephardic, or eastern, Jews, complaining bitterly of a plot against him supposedly led by the Ashkenazi elite of Israel, most of whom have European roots. The same elitist, egotistical clique born with silver spoons in their mouths, they alone feel they have the right to represent the State of Israel, he said. Mr. Katsavs rise from immigrant poverty to the presidency through the Likud Party has been a source of pride to Israelis who came from the Middle East or North Africa.

The charges against me have nothing to do with reality, he said. When the truth emerges, the citizens of Israel will be shocked. But many Israelis just want the sordid case behind them, feeling that the scandal is tainting the countrys reputation and the presidency, a ceremonial office meant to be filled by an unimpeachable symbol of the state. Mr. Katsavs speech was billed as a news conference, but he took no questions, and instead sparred with a reporter from Israeli Channel 2, who tried to defend his coverage. Im speaking now! Mr. Katsav shouted. Youve said enough in the last six months! The speech, with its mixture of anger, accusation and self-pity, reminded some here of Richard M. Nixons Checkers speech of 1952, in which he insisted that he was innocent of charges of financial wrongdoing and that he should stay on the Republican ticket. Mr. Katsav, however, is likely to have to resign soon and try to clear his name. If convicted, Mr. Katsav would probably serve time in jail. A committee in Parliament has been asked to approve Mr. Katsavs request for a leave. The chairwoman of the committee, Ruhama Avraham, said the panel would vote Thursday, but with a growing number of politicians and other leaders calling on him to resign, it is not clear whether a majority on the committee will vote to grant him leave. The committee could instead decide to begin impeachment proceedings. Under Israeli law, the president can be indicted but cannot be put on trial while he is in office. But the immunity ends as soon as he leaves his post, whether through resignation or impeachment. And at any rate, Mr. Katsavs seven-year term ends in July. Dalia Itzik, Parliaments speaker, would become acting president until elections within the legislature for a replacement. She is reported to be interested in trying to become the first woman to be president of Israel, as is Colette Avital, a longtime legislator from the Labor Party. Mr. Katsav, in a surprise, defeated the former Labor leader Shimon Peres for the post in 2000 after Ezer Weizman resigned, following allegations that he had received some half a million dollars in gifts from a wealthy Frenchman. Mr. Peres, now 83, may try again for the presidency. A Likud legislator, Reuven Rivlin, and a former chief Ashkenazi rabbi of Israel, Yisrael Meir Lau, have also been spoken of as candidates. Mr. Olmert himself faces an investigation into his actions in a bank privatization in 2005, and is awaiting the results of a commission that the government appointed to look into the failures of the war last summer against Hezbollah in Lebanon. Other corruption scandals include an investigation into influence-peddling in the tax authority.

In his speech, Mr. Olmert said the world was with Israel in opposing Irans nuclear ambitions. There is still time, while not unlimited, to stop Irans intention of becoming a nuclear power, which threatens its adversaries, first and foremost Israel, he said. We are not complacent, we cannot be complacent, and we are responding to the Iranian threats with the necessary seriousness. We are at the forefront of the fight to place this issue on the top of the agendas of world leaders and international public opinion. Mr. Olmert called for stronger action against Irans flouting of the United Nations to continue with uranium enrichment, and said Israel would prevail. No force in the world can destroy us and there will never be, he said. We refuse to be dragged into an atmosphere of collective self-induced fear. Greg Myre contributed reporting from Jerusalem.

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June 29, 2007

Israel Drops Rape Charges as President Agrees to Quit

By ISABEL KERSHNER

JERUSALEM, June 28 The Israeli government has dropped rape charges against President Moshe Katsav in exchange for his agreement to step down and to plead guilty to lesser charges, the attorney general, Menachem Mazuz, announced Thursday. Mr. Katsav, 61, will receive a suspended sentence and will pay a total of $11,695 in compensation to two of the women who accused him, Mr. Mazuz said. One of them had worked for Mr. Katsav when he was tourism minister in the late 1990s; the other worked in his office in 2003 and 2004. Mr. Katsav will plead guilty to committing indecent acts without consent, sexual harassment of the two women and harassing a witness. He is expected to resign on Friday. His seven-year term as president, a largely ceremonial post, was to end in July. Shimon Peres is expected to take office as president on July 15. The announcement of a plea bargain caused debate and expressions of anger from Israelis who said Mr. Katsav was being treated too lightly. Mr. Mazuz defended the reduced charges at a news conference, saying that Mr. Katsav had gone from the status of No. 1 Citizen to the status of sex offender, with the shame that will follow him from now on. Mr. Katsav had maintained that he was the innocent victim of a witch hunt or conspiracy. His lawyers suggested Thursday that he had made the plea bargain only to avoid a long and embarrassing trial. One of his lawyers, Avigdor Feldman, told Israel Radio that the president will admit that he hugged one complainant, and that he touched her leg, acts, that did not constitute a blatantly sexual situation. We persuaded the president, almost forcibly, to admit to this charge, he added, because if he didnt, there would have been an indictment on two counts of rape. He would have been acquitted ultimately, but would have gone through hell first, he said. Another of Mr. Katsavs lawyers, Zion Amir, said that some touching of hips, an attempt at a kiss, and a kiss had occurred. Ten women made accusations against Mr. Katsav to police investigators. The final indictment focused on four cases. The attorney general said that many cases had problems of proof and

evidence, and that in some cases the statute of limitations had expired. He said the settlement was in the public interest because it would reduce the harm to the institution of the presidency. Moshe Negbi, a commentator on legal affairs for Israel Radio, said the attorney generals statement had raised more questions than it had answered. If the acts of which the president is charged are so serious and I think they are how is the case being closed with a suspended prison sentence? he asked. In March, an Israeli court sentenced former Justice Minister Haim Ramon to 120 days of community service for forcibly kissing a female soldier. Mr. Negbi referred to another case of a prominent businessman, Ofer Glazer, who served four months of a six-month term for sexual harassment. This is the difference between someone in power and other people, Mr. Negbi said. Mr. Mazuz noted that the case began almost a year ago, when Mr. Katsav invited him to his office and complained that a woman who worked for him was blackmailing him. The police inquiry soon turned against Mr. Katsav as the employee, who can only be identified as A. by court order, raised accusations of sexual offenses. Mr. Mazuz said that he was closing the case of A.s complaint and Mr. Katsavs without charges, because of a lack of evidence. In response, A. held a televised news conference on Thursday, her face blurred to maintain her anonymity. By turns sounding tearful and composed, she criticized the plea deal, saying it gave sex offenders a license to do whatever they want. She said Mr. Katsav was a rapist, a serial sex offender and a pervert. Afterward, Mr. Feldman, Mr. Katsavs lawyer, said that A. had lied brazenly in giving her version of events. He has proof that she intends to write a mudslinging book about Mr. Katzav, inspired by Monica Lewinsky, Mr. Feldman said. In another development on Thursday, the Israeli Army conducted an incursion in Nablus on the West Bank. An army spokesman described it as a move against terrorist infrastructures. During the incursion, five Israeli soldiers were wounded by Palestinian fighters, six explosive devices were thrown at, or activated against, the Israeli forces and two Fatah operatives were arrested, the army said. The Fatah-affiliated Al Aksa Martyrs Brigades took responsibility for wounding the soldiers in a call to the news agency Maan. Nablus is known as a base for militants. Last year, 117 of the 187 people suspected of planning suicide bombings who were arrested in the West Bank came from Nablus, the army said in a statement.

Palestinian officials associated with President Mahmoud Abbas, of Fatah, condemned the incursion as unhelpful when Israel is supposed to be trying to bolster Mr. Abbass standing in the West Bank, especially with rival Hamas controlling Gaza. Nimr Hamad, a political adviser to Mr. Abbas, said that Prime Minister Ehud Olmert of Israel and Mr. Abbas had agreed in principle to form a joint committee to discuss the details of the wanted people and the issue of disarming groups. The idea was raised Monday at the Sharm el Sheik meeting of regional leaders, he said, but instead of giving us time to start convincing the groups and first among them those belonging to Fatah these incursions do not help. This week, Mr. Abbas said all Palestinian militant groups should be disarmed. But Mr. Hamad said that, before acting on disarmament, the Palestinians were awaiting guarantees from Israel that it would stop its policy of going after the armed men.

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June 30, 2007

Israels Deal Over Rape Charges Is Criticized as President Resigns

By ISABEL KERSHNER

JERUSALEM, June 29 Israels disgraced president, Moshe Katsav, submitted his resignation to Parliament on Friday morning amid fierce public criticism over the deal by which rape charges against him were dropped in exchange for an admission of guilt for lesser offenses. Mr. Katsavs resignation will take effect on Monday, when he will be charged with committing an indecent act without consent, sexual harassing two women and harassing a witness, the attorney general, Menachem Mazuz, said Thursday. Mr. Katsav will serve no jail time. The deal and Mr. Mazuz came under harsh attack. Yediot Aharonot, the largest newspaper in the country, headlined the arrangement A Deal of Shame on the front page. Mordechai Kremnitzer of Hebrew University, one of Israels pre-eminent legal scholars, told Israel Radio that Mr. Mazuz had sinned and had damaged the principle of equality before the law. Ordinarily, just one offense of indecent assault would warrant seven years in prison, according to Emmanuel Gross, a law professor at Haifa University, and in this case probably more, because the charge is aggravated by an abuse of power. But Mr. Katsav will receive a one-year suspended sentence and pay less than $12,000 in compensation to the two women. Mr. Katsav had taken a leave of absence from his presidential duties, which are largely ceremonial, in January, because of the investigation. His seven-year presidential term was to end July 14. He sent a curt resignation letter to the speaker of Parliament, Dalia Itzik, the contents of which were published in the Israeli news media. In it, Mr. Katsav, who has maintained his innocence, made no reference to the reasons for his early departure and expressed no remorse. His lawyers have suggested that he agreed to admit to the lesser offenses to spare his family the ordeal of a long, intrusive trial, not because he considered himself guilty of them. Eran Shendar, the state prosecutor, told Israel Radio that the plea arrangement would be canceled if Mr. Katsav did not confess in court to the charges brought against him. Acknowledging the public outcry, Mr. Shendar said his own daughter had asked why Mr. Katsav had not been put on trial. But he added, Woe to us if we were to make decisions based on public opinion.

Ms. Itzik, who has been the acting president, will continue to serve until Mr. Katsavs term ends in two weeks. The post will then be assumed by Shimon Peres, who was elected by Parliament on June 13. Also on Friday morning, a wanted Palestinian man was killed by Israeli Army fire in the West Bank city of Nablus, an army spokesman said. The man, who was in a taxi with a second man wanted by Israel, was shot as he got out, the spokesman said. Palestinian news media reports identified the dead man as Haitham Salih, 28, a member of Al Aksa Martyrs Brigades, which is affiliated with Fatah. The Israeli forces left Nablus on Friday after a 24-hour operation, during which nine Palestinians were arrested, the army spokesman said. The army also announced that it had discovered an explosives laboratory and several weapons caches.

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April 9, 2008

Former Israeli President Drops Plea Deal

By ISABEL KERSHNER

JERUSALEM In a dramatic courtroom twist, Moshe Katsav, the former president of Israel, backed out of a plea agreement on Tuesday that required him to admit to having committed sexual offenses against female employees. The decision could lead to the spectacle of a long, sordid trial and possibly the reinstatement of rape charges that had been dropped in the plea bargain. The court session was supposed to start proceedings on the deal that had been reached with the state prosecutor nine months ago. But Mr. Katsav told the court he had decided to go to trial to clear his name instead. I wish to fight for my innocence, Mr. Katsav told a three-judge panel at the Jerusalem Magistrates Court, as his wife, Gila, and other family members sat on the bench by his side. I want to put an end to this persecution. The announcement stunned many Israelis. In a statement after the court hearing, Attorney General Menachem Mazuz expressed amazement at the conduct of Mr. Katsavs lawyers, who had told the prosecutors office of the decision to renege on the deal only an hour before the hearing. In any event, one must assume that the implications of this move are clear to Moshe Katsav, he said. There had been fierce public criticism of the deal, in which possible rape charges against the former president were dropped in exchange for an admission of guilt for lesser offenses, including committing an indecent act, sexual harassment of two employees and harassing a witness. For months, Mr. Katsavs lawyers and the state prosecutors defended the deal as the High Court of Justice considered six public petitions for its annulment. In late February, the High Court upheld the agreement, with the courts five-judge panel split 3 to 2. Chief Justice Dorit Beinisch, in the minority, argued that the deal was seriously flawed. According to its terms, Mr. Katsav was to serve no jail time, but receive a one-year suspended sentence and pay several thousand dollars in compensation to two women. He was also required to resign from the presidency last June, two weeks before his term was to expire.

After Mr. Katsavs announcement, the prosecution and the court agreed to cancel the indictment that had been issued in the context of the plea agreement. Mr. Mazuz will reconsider the evidence against Mr. Katsav before filing a fresh indictment, with or without rape charges. The prosecutors had previously argued that problems of evidence led them to a plea agreement in the first place. Mr. Katsav has always maintained his innocence. Last June, his lawyers suggested that he agreed to admit to the lesser offenses only to spare his family the ordeal of a trial. In court on Tuesday, Mr. Katsav said that he knew he was choosing the hard way, and that he was fully aware of the consequences. Leaving the courtroom, one of his lawyers, Avigdor Feldman, said his client could not admit to charges he did not commit. Mr. Feldman said that he would continue to represent Mr. Katsav, and that the former president had made his decision in consultation with his lawyers, who supported it. Zecharia Schenkolewski, a lawyer for a woman identified in the plea agreement only by the initial L., said that if necessary the woman would testify against Mr. Katsav in court. The woman, who worked in the presidents office, has accused Mr. Katsav of sexual misconduct and witness harassment. It was Mr. Katsavs first appearance in court, nearly two years after the allegations against him started coming out. In the street outside the court, dozens of women and a few men demonstrated in white T-shirts printed with the slogan We are all A., referring to the woman who first accused Mr. Katsav of rape, whose case was dropped in the plea deal. There were shouts of rapist from the protesters as Mr. Katsav made his way into the small, packed courtroom, smiling wanly. He was holding hands with his wife, who was visibly upset. Many had expected Mr. Katsavs lawyers to seek some kind of delay. The hearing had already been postponed for two weeks, with the defense lawyers contending that they had not received some of the investigation materials from the prosecutors office. Representatives of womens groups expressed satisfaction that Mr. Katsav would go to trial, but said they had no way of knowing whether it was another stalling tactic by Mr. Katsav and his lawyers. We were against the plea arrangement to begin with, said Miriam Schler, director of the Rape Crisis Center in Tel Aviv, who was among the protesters outside the courthouse. We hope there can now be a fair trial. She said the ordeal that the women who filed the complaints against Mr. Katsav had gone

through had already deterred many young women from complaining to the authorities about sexual crimes. Mr. Katsav would be the first former head of state to go on trial in Israel. After resigning from the presidency, a mainly ceremonial post, he was succeeded by the elder statesman Shimon Peres. Legal commentators said Mr. Katsav was taking a big risk by asking to go to trial. After the court hearing, one of the womens lawyers said Mr. Katsav was fighting for his life.

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From Times Online March 19, 2009
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Moshe Katsav, Israel's former president, charged with rape

James Hider in Jerusalem

Moshe Katsav, Israel's former president, was today officially charged with raping a female employee and sexually harassing two others, almost two years after he was forced to resign over the accusations. The formal indictment came after the Iranian-born 63-yearold called off a plea-bargain arrangement that would have allowed him to avoid jail time. He said he was determined to clear his name, and recently held a rambling three-hour press conference in which he insisted on his innocence. The allegations of two counts of rape stem from when Mr Katsav was Tourism Minister in the Likud government of Binyamin Netanyahu in the late 1990s. He is accused of raping the same employee first in his Tel Aviv office and again, two months later, at a hotel in Jerusalem. He will also be charged with indecent assault against the same plaintiff, as well as abusing his employer-employee relationship. The lesser charges come from his term as president, when two women say he hugged and kissed them against their will while working at the presidents residence. No date was set for the trial, one of many long-running scandals hanging over Israels political elite. Ehud Olmert, the outgoing Prime Minister, was forced to step down to fight corruption charges, while police are also investigating Avigdor Lieberman, expected to be the new Foreign Minister, in connection with bribery and money laundering allegations. Mr Katsav resigned in July 2007, two weeks before his seven-year term ended. He agreed to a plea bargain whereby he would have admitted sexual misconduct but avoided going to prison. Last April, he called off the deal and said he would clear his name in court, claiming to have been a victim of a media witch hunt.

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Books Latest update 12:57 05.11.10

Published 12:57 05.11.10

Legal Affairs / The objects of his affection

As we wait for a verdict in the Moshe Katsav rape and harassment trial, Yuval Yoaz has produced a comprehensive and highly objective account of the troubling case.
By Yael Naor Tik Katsav (The Katsav Case: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at the Charges Against Israel's Former President ) by Yuval Yoaz, Hakibbutz Hameuchad/Sifriyat Po'alim (Hebrew ), 584 pages, NIS 96.

Yuval Yoaz's "The Katsav Case" came out before the court handed down its verdict in the sex crimes trial of former Israeli president Moshe Katsav. The fact that the author and publisher decided not to wait for the verdict, which is supposed to be announced in the near future, suggests a great deal of confidence. It is easy enough to understand why publication was not postponed till the appeal process is exhausted. But, it is not at all clear at this point whether the verdict, whatever it may be, will even be appealed. Moreover, the book surveys the claims of 10 female complainants against Katsav, only three of whom he has been formally charged with sexually harassing; the statute of limitations had expired for the complaints of six of the women by the time he was indicted, and one case was dropped by the prosecution for insufficient evidence. For this reason alone, the book is more comprehensive than any possible verdict will be. Yoaz's book is the product of extensive research. He can tell us how many times the former president called the cell phone of the woman known as "A-1 from the President's Residence," the complainant who opened the can of worms and first exposed Katsav's alleged behavior; how many times the president broke down in tears during his interrogation; what caused his wife, Gila Katsav, to cry in public; what led to the falling-out between A-1 and her devoted lawyer, Kinneret Barashi; and what kind of preferential treatment Katsav has received compared to the average citizen accused of sex crimes. In addition to being a compelling and easy read, the book has two very important advantages. First, the author, a lawyer and journalist who used to be the courts correspondent for Haaretz, does not take a position favoring one of the sides as he unfolds the various versions of testimony the defendant gave when he was being investigated. At the end of 537 pages, there is still no way at all to know what the author thinks. He tries to lay out the facts before the reader and say earnestly, with no wink or nudge: Far be it from me to decide; you be the judges. This enhances the book's credibility. Another advantage is that although the text is primarily concerned with legal issues, the author has made a supreme - and successful - effort to make it accessible, without diminishing the quality of his analysis of this unprecedented case, which encompasses a daunting array of facts. 'Long hands phase' Let us turn now to Israel's eighth president. The book describes Katsav as having, according to the prosecution, a consistent modus operandi vis-a-vis female coworkers throughout his career. First there would be crude, clumsy verbal wooing combined with supposedly innocent touching, while Katsav would allegedly show blatant favoritism toward the object of his sexual interest. The woman in question would allegedly find herself given increased authority, complimented in public or granted promotions. Having laid the foundation by making his desires unequivocally clear, Katsav, we read, moved to the "long hands" phase, as it was described by another complainant, known as "A-2 from the Tourism Ministry": hugging, touching the woman's breasts, exposing his genitals while asking (according to A-1 ) that she touch him. The prosecution believed that Katsav and A-1 had a consensual affair, as a friend of hers had told them. It had considered including her complaint in the indictment as a charge of forbidden consensual intercourse exploiting a relationship of subordination. But in the case of the woman known as A-2, Katsav stands accused of committing two acts of rape and one act of forcible indecent assault. In cases where Katsav was rejected by the women - verbally or physically, usually both - the president (and earlier, as minister of tourism and of transportation ) is then said to have changed his attitude at work as well. The favorable treatment gave way to cold hostility; the woman who rebuffed him found that others in the workplace had turned against her, and in some cases (as with A-2 ) she was fired. Another stage in the former president's M.O., as described in the book, is the documentation stage. If the woman who stopped working with him after the alleged sex crimes needed a letter of recommendation, the defendant - who emerges from the facts as a wily manipulator - first had her declare in writing that she had no complaints against him. He took care to save any letters from his alleged victims for a rainy day, as in the case of the very friendly New Year's greeting he received from A-2. He brought these documents with him to his interrogations, as proof of his perfectly amicable relationship with his former employees. If they were maligning him now, he claimed, it was only because he would no longer employ them. This matter may raise some questions about the conduct of the victims. The woman known as "K. from the Transport Ministry" tried to provide an explanation for it; although the statute of limitations had expired on her complaint, she testified at Katsav's closed trial about the president's alleged pattern of behavior and aggressive courtship techniques, as did three other women whose complaints involved events too old to be prosecuted. The former president declared, in K.'s case, that a woman who claims to have been assaulted does not seek renewed employment with her attacker or praise him in the newspapers. K. explained that under the political system's unwritten code of conduct, loyalty, silence and discretion are supreme values: "There are parameters of survival in this business," she explained to Yoaz in an interview he conducted with her. "One of them is that you don't trash the people you worked for, you remain discreet and describe everyone as wonderful. Sara Netanyahu is a pleasant woman, Omri Sharon is sensitive, Moshe Katsav is all about the work. You take a positive aspect and amplify it to aggrandize them, while leaving problematic elements out. I'm not a Shi'ite suicide bomber."

Words of wooing The former president denied even having had consensual sex with any of the complainants, rejecting as untrue every fact alleged in his indictment. He pulled out of the lenient, watered-down plea agreement he had struck with the prosecution, refusing to concede even that he had stroked the leg of A-2 during a car journey while he was sitting in the front passenger seat and she was sitting in back. And yet Katsav, the denier of everything, sees himself as a "serial heartbreaker who left female casualties behind," as journalist Amnon Abramovich, who interviewed him in July 2006, described him as saying. He made similar comments to the police in August of that year. The heartbreaker's words of wooing deserve to be cited. A-1 claims that he made such comments to her as: "You astound me," "I dreamed about you at night while I was having sex with Gila," "I'm attracted to you, you just drive me crazy." According to K., he said to her: "I didn't sleep all night. I can't explain it, but I feel that I've fallen in love with you." A-2 said Katsav told her, in an allusion to former minister Yitzhak Mordechai and his former wife: "How do you like the idea of us being like Itzik and Kochi Mordechai?" (Mordechai was later convicted of sexual misconduct against a subordinate. ) The author devotes a significant amount of space to the issue of equality before the law, a constitutional principle that, the author indignantly claims, was not upheld in the case of the former president. For example, although investigators had a court order to search the President's Residence, they gave its director general advance warning of the impending search, an advantage that ordinary suspects can only dream of. Another, unprecedented benefit Katsav enjoyed involved the pretrial hearing with the prosecutors: He got to speak rather than present his version in writing, the hearing was much longer than usual, and it consisted of more than one meeting, which is not the ordinary practice. Another, significant advantage is the legal one. As Supreme Court President Dorit Beinisch commented in response to petitions against the plea bargain that the state struck with Katsav, then-attorney general Menachem Mazuz was so concerned about the possibility of an acquittal that instead of trying to build a conclusive rape case beyond a reasonable doubt, he sought a sure conviction on lesser charges. That is why he agreed to sign the plea agreement that many people found so outrageous. It was the former president himself who pulled out of that deal. As his title promises, Yoaz indeed provides a backstage look at the Justice Ministry and its handling of the Katsav case, especially with regard to the failed plea bargain. His explanation that Mazuz had practically no prior experience with criminal trials or the negotiation of plea bargains is convincing. Law professor Mordechai Kremnitzer helpfully illuminates the flaws in the deal: "The great gap between the draft indictment from January 2007 and the very lenient plea bargain is also the reason a last-minute cancellation of the agreement [was] predictable," Kremnitzer said to Yoaz. "When a prosecutor offers a defendant a deal in which there is such an enormous discrepancy between what the deal includes and what awaits him if he does not take it, a responsible prosecutor has to say to himself, 'I am creating a temptation, even for an innocent man, to confess to something he did not do.' Responsible prosecution cannot act this way. There is good reason to be cautious about leaping from a serious charge to a minor, very distant one, because this might be too tempting." The verdict in the former president's trial is expected to be handed down during the current, fall session of the courts. I will not hazard a guess as to what it will be; I'll only say that even if the former president is acquitted, he is still the most dangerous employer I've ever read about. Yael Naor is an attorney, and an editor at the Hebrew edition of Haaretz. This story is by: Yael Naor

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Former President of Israel Is Convicted of Rape

By ISABEL KERSHNER Published: December 30, 2010

JERUSALEM An Israeli court convicted the countrys former president, Moshe Katsav, of two counts of forcible rape on Thursday, a verdict that many Israelis described as a low point in the nations history, but also redemptive, in that it upheld the value of equality before the law.
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There are no two states of Israel, just one state, said Shimon Peres, Mr. Katsavs successor as president. There are no two kinds of citizens here; citizens of only one kind exist in Israel and all are equal in the eyes of the law. The verdict capped an unusual four-year spectacle that began with accusations of sexual offenses against Mr. Katsav while he was still the head of state. Never before has a president in the democratic world been found guilty of such deeds, wrote Zeev Segal, the legal commentator for the newspaper Haaretz and a professor of law at Tel Aviv University.

Former President Moshe Katsav of Israel at court on Thursday.

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Moshe Katsav, an Israeli expresident, with his lawyers in Tel Aviv on Thursday. His conviction involves rapes when he was tourism minister.

A panel of three district court judges in Tel Aviv convicted Mr. Katsav, 65, of raping an employee identified only by her first initial, A. on two occasions while he was minister of tourism in 1998. The court also convicted him of sexually abusing and harassing another complainant and of harassing a third while he was president an exalted, if mostly ceremonial, position that Mr. Katsav held from 2000 until 2007. Mr. Katsav has consistently denied any wrongdoing, and his lawyers said it was possible that he would appeal the ruling to

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the Supreme Court. One of his lawyers, Avigdor Feldman, said the district court had set aside the doubts of the prosecution with unfortunate lightness, given that the prosecution had considered the chances of a rape conviction very borderline. Still, Thursdays verdict was unequivocal, finding Mr. Katsav guilty of what Ronit Amiel, a state prosecutor in the case, described as the most serious and heinous sexual crimes. Mr. Katsav, looking ashen, made no comment as he left the court accompanied by his lawyers. His son, Boaz, said the family was steadfast in its support of Mr. Katsav, remaining convinced he was innocent. Sentencing is expected in January, and legal commentators said rape verdicts usually carried a minimum sentence of 4 years and a maximum of 16. Reading from a 29-page summary of the verdict, the presiding judge, George Kara, said that Mr. Katsavs testimony was strewn with lies, small and large, that the court was convinced that the sexual relations were not consensual and that the rapes had involved the use of force. The verdict sheet included testimony of the rape victim in which she said that she had struggled against Mr. Katsav as he tried to undress her in his office, and that she then found herself on the floor. I struggled all the time and said, Enough, I do not want this, she was quoted as saying. Inside the packed courtroom, Mr. Katsav sat expressionless for most of the hour and 20 minutes it took for the judge to read out the summary. When the judge read the details of the guilty verdict on the two rape charges, Mr. Katsav shook his head and gave a bitter half-smile in the direction of his lawyers. No television cameras or radio microphones were allowed in the courtroom; most of the trial took place behind closed doors. Mr. Katsav had contended that the rape accusation was a plot by the former Tourism Ministry employee, who he said was seeking revenge after she was fired. The judges detailed

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evidence that contradicted Mr. Katsavs testimony, including telephone call logs and testimony from other witnesses that corroborated that of the victims. The judges said they found the rape victims testimony completely credible and Mr. Katsavs false. The case has riveted Israel for years. Mr. Katsav resigned from the presidency in disgrace in 2007, two weeks before the end of his seven-year term, to a chorus of public criticism over a deal he had reached with state prosecutors. According to its terms, the rape charges against him were to be dropped in exchange for an admission of guilt for lesser offenses. Mr. Katsav was to serve no jail time, but would receive a one-year suspended sentence, and he agreed to pay compensation to two women. In a dramatic courtroom twist in April 2008, Mr. Katsav backed out of the plea agreement, saying that he wished to fight for his innocence in court. Israeli womens groups hailed the verdict. Finally, victims in Israel feel validated, said Miriam Schler, director of the Tel Aviv Rape Crisis Center, who was among a hundred or so womens rights activists gathered outside the court. It is an extremely historic day. Fewer than 20 percent of the women who contact Israels rape crisis centers file complaints, and of those cases that are filed, 64 percent end without an indictment, Ms. Schler said. There is a culture of machismo here where men of privilege, especially those in power, feel that they can do what they want, said Ms. Schler, who immigrated to Israel from Oceanside, in Nassau County, N.Y. She said the verdict is an important message that they will be held accountable for their acts. Ronit Erenfroind-Cohen, who leads the Department for the Advancement of Women at the Womens International Zionist Organization, and other womens rights advocates here say there is a large gap between Israels relatively advanced laws in areas like rape and sexual harassment and their enforcement. Mr. Katsav, a father of five, was born in Iran in 1945 and immigrated to Israel with his family in 1951. His political career took off when he became the mayor of his hometown, Kiryat Malachi, near the port city of Ashkelon, at the age of 24. He joined Parliament as a member of the conservative Likud Party in 1977 and has served as a minister in various governments. Mr. Katsav was allowed to go home on Thursday, but the court ordered him to deposit his passport with the authorities. His wife, Gila, who accompanied him at earlier stages of his

legal battle, was not present for the verdict.

Dina Kraft contributed reporting from Tel Aviv.
A version of this article appeared in print on December 31, 2010, on page A4 of the New York edition.

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Moshe Katzav: Shock and anger sweep Israel - but also pride
By Anshel Pfeffer Created 6 Jan 2011 - 2:58pm

Israel news Moshe Katzav Israeli government Moshe Katzav is planning to appeal against his conviction - but he may have to do it from a prison cell. The judges' damning verdict leaves little doubt that he will be handed a lengthy prison term before he is able to take his case to Israel's Supreme Court. But despite fierce criticism of the conduct of the trial by Katzav and his supporters, opinion polls suggest most Israelis think he received fair treatment. The saga has run for four years but the verdict of the court, headed by Judge George Karra, which totally demolished defence claims and upheld the victims' accounts of violent rape and other sexual assaults, was an earthquake nonetheless. Most public figures expressed dismay that a former president had been convicted of such acts. But there was a sense of pride that Israeli democracy and its justice system was capable of putting a former head of state on trial. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said: "This is a sad day for Israel and its citizens. But the court has sent out two very clear messages; that each one of us is equal before the law and that a woman has complete rights over her body." Supreme Court President Dorit Beinisch, speaking at a swearing-in of new judges, said: "A verdict was handed down today that cannot be ignored. It is a sad day but

it is also a day that emphasises more than any other the equality before the law and the meaning of your oath today - not to show favour or privilege in the court." Katzav left the court without a word to the press and is yet to release a statement. But his son, Ariel, said: "We will continue to be proud of our father and follow him with our heads held high. "We regret the fact the court sentenced him on the basis of rumours and hunches. "We believe that in future generations, everyone will know that Moshe Katzav, the eighth president of Israel, was innocent." While many Israelis were initially content to believe he was a victim of politicallymotivated rumours, the sentence left few convinced of his innocence. He was convicted of two counts of rape, one of an obscene act, one of sexual harassment and one of attempting to subvert the course of justice. Judges rejected attempts to discredit the testimony of the victims, including "A" from the Tourism Ministry, who accused him of raping her twice and sexually abusing her, and "H" and "L" from the President's Office, who accused him of sexual harassment. He was acquitted on only one charge, that he harassed one of the witnesses. Judge Karra said Katzav's version of events was "riddled with lies". The public were shocked not only by the explicit details of the sexual attacks but the "mafiastyle" way in which members of the his entourage tried to intimidate and buy off witnesses. A survey by the Midgam Project at the Herzliya Interdisciplinary Centre showed that 73 per cent of Israelis believed that Katzav had received a fair trial and that the judges had reached their verdict on the basis only of the facts. There is some support still for the former president within the religious and strictly Orthodox communities, among whom 42 per cent believe that the judges were influenced by the media. Only 12 per cent of secular and traditional Israelis hold that view. In a lecture this week at Tel Aviv University, one of Katzav's lawyers, Tzion Amir, said: "The media affected the trial, the media affected the public's position. Was the court influenced? You have to assume that it was." Katzav's defence team have yet to announce whether they plan to appeal the

verdict and they are expected to wait for the sentence, which is likely to be heavy as rape carries a minimum of four years in prison. The Tel Aviv District Court decided not to put Katzav under house arrest, and made do with an order forbidding him to leave the country. Former Justice Minister Yossi Beilin drew angry responses when he called on Tuesday for clemency. He said: "His sentence should be commuted. I don't think that we as Israelis should have to see our president in jail. His real punishment is in the public arena." Ironically, the man who will have to consider clemency for Katzav is the current President, Shimon Peres, the man Katzav defeated in the 2000 election for the presidency. Read an exclusive interview with one of the victims in this week's JC
Source URL: http://www.thejc.com/news/israel-news/43392/moshe-katzav-shock-and-angersweep-israel-also-pride

Back to previous page

Former Israeli president Katsav sentenced to 7 years for rape

By Joel Greenberg, Published: March 22
JERUSALEM Former Israeli president Moshe Katsav was sentenced Tuesday to seven years in prison for raping a woman and molesting others who worked for him when he held public office. Katsav had been convicted in December on two counts of rape as well as indecent assault and sexual harassment. In announcing the sentence, the three-judge panel said Katsav had exploited his position to sexually assault and harass female subordinates when he was minister of tourism and during his term as president from 2000 to 2007. No person is above the law, whatever his status, the judges said. Katsav was ordered to report to jail on May 8, giving him time to prepare an appeal. Assuming the sentence is upheld, Katsav would become the most senior former official sent to prison in Israels history. As the sentence was read out at the Tel Aviv District Court, Katsav, 66, broke down in tears. His son embraced him. Its all a lie!, Katsav shouted at the judges. You are mistaken! The girls know that they lied! Katsav was given an additional two years suspended sentence and ordered to pay fines of about $28,000 to the rape victim and $7,000 to another woman he molested. This is a day of sadness and shame, but also of deep appreciation and pride in the Israeli justice system, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said, adding that the court had affirmed the principle of equality before the law and that every woman has the right to her body, dignity and freedom.

Katsav, born in Iran, rose to the presidency from humble origins and, before the rape allegations, had been held up in Israel as a role model for Sephardic Jews of Middle Eastern descent. His case riveted public attention, and was widely seen as a sign of changing norms in a society that in the past tended to condone sexual advances on women by men who held powerful positions in the Israeli government and the military.

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March 22, 2011

Ex-President of Israel Sentenced to Prison in Rape Case

By ISABEL KERSHNER

JERUSALEM An Israeli court sentenced Moshe Katsav, the countrys former president, to seven years in prison for rape on Tuesday. The sentencing is the latest stage in a sordid case that Israels leaders point to as proof of the principle of equality before the law, but also one in which the prestige of Israels highest office has been brought to a historic low. Mr. Katsav, who has consistently maintained his innocence, burst into tears upon hearing the sentence, according to reports from inside the Tel Aviv courtroom, and shouted at the judges that they had made a mistake, crying out: It is a lie! The girls know it is a lie! In December, Mr. Katsav, 65, was convicted of raping an employee identified only by her first initial, A. on two occasions while he was minister of tourism in 1998. The court also convicted him of sexually abusing and harassing another woman and of harassing a third while he was president a distinguished, if mostly ceremonial, position that Mr. Katsav held from 2000 to 2007. He was also convicted of obstruction of justice. The sentencing came four years after accusations of sexual offenses were made against Mr. Katsav while he was still the head of state. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said after the sentencing that this was a day of sadness and shame for Israel, but it is also a day of deep appreciation and pride for the Israeli justice system. He added: The court issued a sharp and unequivocal ruling on a simple principle, that of equality before the law; nobody is above the law, not even a former president,

all are subject to the law. This distinguishes the State of Israel in a very large region. Mr. Katsav is expected to begin his sentence in early May, after the Passover holiday, though it is likely that he will appeal. One of his lawyers, Zion Amir, told Israel Radio, Regarding the sentence, I have no doubt that this was not the last word. Mr. Amir said he was not surprised by the sentence in light of the harsh verdict against Mr. Katsav. Many Israeli legal experts said the punishment was fitting given both the gravity of Mr. Katsavs crimes and the added weight of his public standing. Rape verdicts in Israel usually carry a minimum sentence of 4 years and a maximum of 16. The judges said in their ruling that the fact that Mr. Katsav had been president was no reason for leniency. On the contrary, they said, he had abused his authority and standing in order to carry out his crimes. They wrote that Mr. Katsavs acts had brought disgrace on the symbol of the institution of the presidency. In addition to the seven-year sentence, Mr. Katsav received a two-year suspended sentence and was ordered to pay compensation to two of his victims. No television cameras or radio microphones were allowed in the courtroom during the proceedings and most of the trial took place behind closed doors. Mr. Katsav had contended that the rape accusation was a plot by the former Tourism Ministry employee, who he said was seeking revenge after she was fired. But the judges who convicted him cited evidence that contradicted Mr. Katsavs testimony, which they said they found false. Expressing a minority opinion, Yehudit Shevach, one of the panel of three judges who handed down the sentence, said that four years of imprisonment and more compensation would have been sufficient punishment. She cited what she called the trial by media and remarks by the attorney general at the time, who described Mr. Katsavs behavior as that of a serial sex offender even before he was formally charged. Mr. Katsavs lawyers also argued that he had been demonized and condemned by the news media and by leaks and statements from public figures before the trial started. The other two judges, George Kara and Miriam Sokolov, argued that the unprecedented publicity, some legitimate and some not, was a result of Mr. Katsavs high standing.

Miriam Rosenthal, a lawyer and former Tel Aviv district attorney, said that the court had neither lightened the sentence nor penalized Mr. Katsav unduly because of the high post he held. Mr. Katsav resigned from the presidency in disgrace in 2007, two weeks before the end of his seven-year term, to a chorus of public criticism over a deal he had reached with state prosecutors. According to the terms of the deal, the rape charges against him were to be dropped in exchange for an admission of guilt for lesser offenses. Mr. Katsav was to serve no jail time under the deal. But in a surprising courtroom twist in April 2008 Mr. Katsav backed out of the plea agreement, saying that he wished to fight for his innocence in court.

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Opinion Latest update 16:50 03.05.11

Published 16:50 03.05.11

Katsav prison sentence delayed until hearing on request for longer postponement
Katsav was sentenced last month to seven years in jail after being found guilty of rape and other sexual offenses; appeal hearing to take place within days.
By Ofra Edelman Tags: Israel news Moshe Katsav The Supreme Court on Tuesday delayed the start of disgraced former president Moshe Katsav's jail sentence for rape until a ruling is reached on his request for a longer postponement, which will be heard next Wednesday. Katsav, who was convicted on two counts of rape for indecent assault and sexual harassment of female employees, appealed the ruling against him this week. The former president was sentenced last month to seven years in jail after being found guilty of rape and other sexual offenses. He was supposed to start serving his sentence on Sunday, May 8, 2011. The court also ruled that Katsav must in addition to his jail sentence, serve two years of probation and pay NIS 100,000 to his rape victim, a former employee of the Tourism Ministry known as A., and pay NIS 25,000 to L., a former employee of the President's Residence, whom he sexually harassed and abused. Katsav is challenging the ruling of the Tel Aviv District Court which found him guilty. He is expected to argue that in its unequivocal ruling, the court ignored entirely any doubts, mostly about the claims of the main plaintiff, A., and also the difficulties in evidence, which led to serious disagreements among senior figures in the State Prosecutor's Office. In the appeal, the defense team for Katsav is expected to the argument that their client was convicted in the media before his trial began. This will probably be based on the minority view of Judge Yehudit Shevach, who wrote that Katsav should have been sentenced to only four years in jail in view of the damage he sustained as a result of the media coverage and the conduct of the State Prosecutor's Office. Experts say Katsav's appeal has a slim chance of success as the Supreme Court does not normally interfere in the factual conclusions of the District Court, or make decisions concerning the credibility of witnesses. The fact that the conviction was decided unanimously by a panel of three judges will also make it difficult for Katsav to advance his argument. This story is by: Ofra Edelman

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Opinion Latest update 01:46 06.05.11

Published 01:46 06.05.11

Court releases transcripts of Katsav trial

The evidence released yesterday includes testimony by the chief of the police investigations and intelligence division and Labor MK Shelly Yachimovich, among others.
By Ofra Edelman and Tomer Zarchin The Tel Aviv District Court yesterday released previously confidential testimony in the rape case against former President Moshe Katsav. Katsav was sentenced to seven years in prison after being convicted of rape and other sexual offenses. But he has not yet begun serving his sentence, and this week, he asked the Supreme Court to stay his entry into jail until it rules on his appeal. The evidence released yesterday includes testimony by Yoav Segalovich, the chief of the police investigations and intelligence division; MK Shelly Yachimovich (Labor ), who had met with one of Katsav's victims, a woman publicly identified only as A. from the Tourism Ministry; Yaron Armuza, a friend of A.; and the families of the victims. Segalovich's testimony reveals that he took Katsav's lawyers to task for accusing officials dealing with their client's case of leaking information to the media - when in fact, he charged, the lawyers themselves were leaking information. Yachimovich testified that A. was frightened and horrified by her experience. In her conversation with the MK, A. was hysterical and panicked and expressed concern that her phone had been tapped, Yachimovich said. The release of the testimony comes a week before the Supreme Court is scheduled to decide whether to grant Katsav's request to defer his sentence. The timing prompted indignation among some judges. One district court judge said the release of the testimony should have been delayed until after the hearing. This story is by: Ofra Edelman Tomer Zarchin

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News Latest update 01:26 09.05.11

Published 01:26 09.05.11

State expected to oppose Katsav request to put off jail time for rape conviction
Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein meets with senior officials to debate whether Katsav deserves an exemption from the general policy regarding convicted criminals who appeal their sentence.
By Tomer Zarchin The State Prosecutor's Office is expected to tell the Supreme Court on Wednesday that it opposes granting former President Moshe Katsav's request to delay the start of his seven-year prison sentence until the court rules on his appeal. Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein met with senior officials in the prosecutor's office Sunday to discuss Katsav's request. After the meeting, knowledgeable sources said those present expressed a clear preference for rejecting Katsav's request, mainly to conform to the prosecution's general policy regarding convicted criminals who appeal their sentence. The sources also said, however, that the prosecution was likely to agree to Katsav's request to hear his appeal as soon as possible. Katsav, who was convicted of rape and other offenses in December, was supposed to begin his jail time Monday. Last week the court agreed that he could remain free until Wednesday's hearing of his application to delay his sentence. An expanded Supreme Court panel ruled a decade ago that a convict's sentence should not be delayed for the duration of the appeals process except in special circumstances, such as when the sentence is so brief that all or most of it will have been served before the appeal is decided. That is not the case for Katsav, whose appeal is expected to be decided within a few months. Arguments in favor of granting Katsav's request were also entertained at Sunday's meeting, including the view that Katsav does not pose a threat to the public and the fact that he is a former president. If his appeal is granted while he is serving his sentence, it could be seen as damaging the office of the presidency. A figure who is close to Katsav said Sunday it was regrettable that the prosecution did not hold a meaningful dialogue with his lawyers, in a bid to make Wednesday's court session unnecessary. This story is by: Tomer Zarchin

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Opinion Latest update 01:37 19.05.11

Published 01:37 19.05.11

Former president Katsav to stay out of jail until appeal

Supreme Court Justice says chances of Katsav's appeal against his conviction for raping A. from the Tourism Ministry are not without foundation, but sees little chance that conviction for lesser sexual offenses will be overturned.
By Tomer Zarchin Former President Moshe Katsav will not begin serving his prison sentence until the Supreme Court has ruled on his appeal, because there is a chance his rape conviction might be overturned, Supreme Court Justice Yoram Danziger decided yesterday. "I can't say the chances of former President Moshe Katsav's appeal against his conviction for raping A. from the Tourism Ministry are without foundation, or that we are talking about vain or empty arguments," Danziger wrote. Danziger said the alibi Katsav presented to the Tel Aviv District Court - that he was not in either a Jerusalem hotel or his Tel Aviv office on the dates when A. claims he raped her in those venues - appears to have some basis, and must be clarified when the court hears his appeal. Nevertheless, Danziger added, he sees little chance of Katsav's conviction for lesser sexual offenses against two other women being overturned. Danziger also justified his decision to release Katsav on the grounds that the former president had been at large throughout his trial indicating that he wasn't considered a public danger - and that there is no danger of him fleeing. The prosecution had opposed Katsav's request to delay his entry into jail, but Danziger's ruling is final and cannot be appealed. Katsav was sentenced in March to seven years in jail. The sentence stemmed primarily from his conviction for having twice raped A., an employee of the Tourism Ministry, while he was serving as tourism minister. Danziger gave particular weight to two arguments raised in the appeal. One was that the district court should have considered the alternate line of defense Katsav presented: that his relations with A. were consensual. That could undermine the rape charge. The district court rejected this argument because throughout his police investigation and his court testimony, Katsav denied having had sex with A. at all; his attorneys raised the consensual sex claim only in their summation. Nevertheless, Danziger said, this claim should be examined. The second was Katsav's alibi. At the time of the alleged rape in a Jerusalem hotel, Katsav claimed, he was at a meeting in his office. And at the time of the alleged rape in his office, he was at an event honoring the Iranian Jewish community. The district court rejected these claims. But Danziger said they did not seen to be baseless, and should the Supreme Court accept them, that would affect its ruling on his appeal. According to rules laid down by the Supreme Court a decade ago, prison sentences should not be postponed while an appeal is being heard unless certain conditions are met. Danziger was thus careful to stress in his decision that this precedent-setting ruling had also left room for judicial discretion, and that its list of criteria was not exhaustive. One of those criteria was if the prison term were short enough that the appellant would have served all or most of it by the time the appeal was heard. That is not the case for Katsav. But when the chances of an appeal being accepted are not negligible, the need to defend the appellant's right to freedom may take precedence over other considerations, Danziger wrote. Regarding the prosecution's claim that Katsav should be treated like any other convict, Danziger agreed. "Nevertheless, it is inappropriate to deprive the appellant of his rights because of the lofty position he once held," the justice added. A legal source familiar with the case told Haaretz it was important for the prosecution to oppose Katsav's request because it generally opposes deferring sentences for people convicted of serious crimes, and it did not want to be seen as treating a senior politician more leniently than an ordinary person. But he denied that Danziger's ruling was a blow to the prosecution, noting that the three-justice panel that hears the appeal might well reach a different conclusion regarding Katsav's arguments. More coverage, Page 3 This story is by: Tomer Zarchin

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Opinion Latest update 01:37 19.05.11

Published 01:37 19.05.11

Katsav ruling undermines public trust in the courts

The credibility and authority that the public instill in the courts is undermined when the justice system allows Katsav to roam free, in a decision that shows not all people are equal in the eyes of the law.
Haaretz Editorial Yesterday's Supreme Court decision to the effect that former President Moshe Katsav will not begin serving his prison sentence, pending a decision on his appeal, is a bad decision, involving problematic reasoning and grave consequences. More than he explains his reasons in his 30-page decision, Supreme Court Justice Yoram Danziger relates the story of the conviction. In a very tortuous style, and based on a precedent that may have nothing to do with the case of the former president, the justice tries to support his decision. Inter alia, Justice Danziger points out that some of the testimony may require further clarification, and that there are cases in which a person who committed crimes similar to those of Katsav sat behind bars, while in other cases the felon was not sentenced to an active prison term. This casuistry is surprising, to say the least; in most of the cases when the Supreme Court does not reject an appeal out of hand, it is clear, in any event, there may be another discussion and even a decision to change the sentence (or not ). Moreover, just at the stage of summing up the explanations and formulating the decision, Danziger states that "the chances of appeal in these convictions are probably not great." But even were the chances of appeal of the serious convictions - for which the former president was sentenced to seven years in prison - are far better than Danziger anticipates, and there is no connection between them and the unfortunate decision to leave Katsav outside prison. Any other criminal convicted of this type of crime is placed in detention until the conclusion of proceedings (in many cases even longer than the nine months allowed by law, by means of a court-initiated extension ), and goes to prison straight after sentencing - whether or not the convicted has submitted an appeal. The court's decision to delay Katsav's incarceration shows, once again, there is a contradiction here to the principle of equality, and the decision can be viewed as showing preference to people in high places. In his decision Justice Danziger cited the prosecution's contention that delaying imprisonment is liable to harm public confidence in the legal system and to undermine its authority. It's a shame that the justice did not consider this statement seriously enough. Katsav's walking around free undermines the credibility and authority of the courts in the eyes of the public. This story is by: Haaretz Editorial

Home Published 01:37 19.05.11 Latest update 01:37 19.05.11

Supreme Court seems more concerned with Katsav than his victims
The Supreme Court judge's ruling adds a fundamental tier to the principle of inequality before the law: not only was the carrying out of the sentence put off by a month, but Katsav is also being allowed to remain at home until after his appeal is heard.
By Neri Livneh "A weight has been lifted off my shoulders," former President Moshe Katsav told his associates on hearing of Supreme Court Judge Yoram Danziger's decision to put off the beginning of Katsav's prison sentence until the Supreme Court hears his appeal. The weight lifted off the shoulders of the man who was convicted in District Court of rape and assault, shattered the hopes of many, especially women, that the Supreme Court would prove once and for all that everyone is equal before the law. "There are judges in Jerusalem," Katsav said. Exactly that expression was used - with the opposite interpretation - by those who hoped those judges in Jerusalem (or in Tel Aviv or Be'er Sheva ) would treat a fading entertainer, anonymous felon convicted of rape or a former president equally. But apparently this was not the case, not even close. Let's not talk about the United States, where International Monetary Fund (IMF ) head Dominique Strauss-Kahn, a much more important figure than Katsav, was taken to New York's infamous Rikers Island to be jailed even before the rape trial he is expected to face. People charged with rape are often put in custody or under house arrest until trial (Hanan Goldblatt, who was convicted of far less grave offenses, remained under house arrest for almost three years ). This is especially true for those who have been convicted in the District Court. Katsav, however, was sent home to make arrangements, to celebrate Passover and Independence Day at his leisure, with his supportive family. Justice Danziger's ruling adds another fundamental tier to the principle of inequality before the law. Not only was the carrying out of the sentence put off by a month, but Katsav is also being allowed to remain at home until after his appeal is heard. Who knows what will happen until then - it could be a long time like in the old, old Jewish joke where the Jew laughed that before something terrible and expected happened, he could die, or the dog could die and maybe the Polish land owner could die. One thing cannot be said of Justice Yoram Danziger - that he is a populist. Katsav's "cronies" and attorneys argued that the court may be influenced by the alleged media lynch against Katsav. But Danziger's ruling has proved that it is not the public mood endangering the defendant's equality before the law. If anything, it is the sophistication of expensive attorneys and their prestige that threatens equality. The judge explained his decision by saying that two of the three necessary criteria to reject Katsav's request to delay his imprisonment until after his appeal have not been met in this case. There is no fear he would repeat his offenses and no risk he would try to flee the country. But these arguments can be made about other famous convicted felons, whose very celebrity makes it difficult for them to repeat the offenses for which they have been convicted, or for them to flee the country. Until now we haven't had a sex offender who reached the position of state president. Danziger also said there is a certain chance the Supreme Court will accept Katsav's appeal, and it is possible it would interpret the evidence in Katsav's case differently from the way the District Court did. Therefore, we should not hasten to send Katsav to jail. Danziger might have been commended for being lenient, especially since he states his decision has nothing to do with Katsav's being a former president. But this kind of long, amazingly argued debate about a convicted man's rights to stay out of prison until the Supreme Court hears his appeal, never happens in the cases of sex offenders who are not former presidents. Two possible conclusions may be drawn from Danziger's ruling. Either all sex offenders wherever they are should be treated leniently, to maintain the equality principle he advocates; or senior public service positions are the refuge of scoundrels. This story is by: Neri Livneh

Published 12:00 11.07.11

Latest update 12:00 11.07.11

Katsav's private investigators suspected of harassing witnesses in his rape trial

Disgraced former president was found guilty of rape and sexual harassment in December 2010.
By Tomer Zarchin Two private investigators working on behalf of Moshe Katsav are suspected of harassing witnesses involved in the disgraced former president's rape trial, it emerged Monday after a gag order on details of the case was lifted. Join Haaretz.com on Facebook and share your views on this article According to suspicions, the private investigators allegedly harassed four people involved in the Katsav case, which culminated in rape and sexual assault convictions for the former president. The investigators are believed to have harassed the witnesses and violated their privacy. One of the investigators, an owner of a private investigations firm, is suspected of witness harassment and conspiring to commit a crime. The investigator is suspected of employing two other private investigators to aid him collect information on people involved in the Katsav case. Moreover, the police found recorded tapes which documented the private investigators' contact with the people involved in the case. Police also searched the private investigations office and confiscated their computers. The two investigators were arrested last week and were released on Sunday night after five days in custody. In December last year, Katsav was found guilty of two counts of rape after complaints had surfaced of sexual offenses against various subordinates during Katsav's terms as tourism minister and president.

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Three more w omen to testify against Katsav in rape trial Former President Moshe Katsav found guilty on two counts of rape

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Moshe Katsav, Former Israeli President, Now Suspected Of Harassing Rape Case Witness

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Follow Israel , Former Israeli President , Moshe Katsav Harassment , Moshe Katsav Rape Charges , Moshe Katsav , World News JERUSALEM Former Israeli President Moshe Katsav is being investigated for allegedly harassing a witness as he appeals a rape conviction, police said Monday, in a new twist to a lurid case that has captivated the country for four years. Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said Katsav along with his brother and a son hired two private investigators. Rosenfeld said the investigators allegedly tried to "hassle" and "have an influence" on the witness. Katsav is believed to have been "fully aware" of what the investigators were doing and "gave the order" to them, Rosenfeld said. The Katsavs, and the investigators, were recently questioned about the affair, Rosenfeld said, adding that the incident is still under investigation. He declined to identify the witness or describe what kind of harassment allegedly took place. Israeli media said the investigators had been ordered to dig up evidence that would undermine the credibility of the rape victim and other witnesses. Speaking to Israel Radio, Danny Sror, lawyer for the rape victim, refused to discuss the specifics of the case, but said the alleged action sheds light on Katsav's character. "I can say that it was an act that was in my view very severe," he said. "It shows yet again the personality and behavior of Mr. Katsav." Katsav's lawyer Avigdor Feldman told Israel Radio that his client's family hired private investigators who were instructed to operate within the confines of the law. A gag order relating to the fresh allegations against Katsav was eased on Monday. Katsav was convicted of raping an employee when he was a Cabinet minister in 1998 and of sexual harassment involving two other women when he was president from 2000 to 2007. He was sentenced to seven years in prison in March, making him the country's highest ranking official ordered to serve time. An Israeli Supreme Court judge has ruled that Katsav can stay out of jail while he appeals the conviction. Katsav, 65, has denied that he ever committed rape, claiming he is a victim of a political witch hunt.

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Published 19:21 11.07.11

Latest update 19:21 11.07.11

Suspect charged with harrassing Katsav witnesses has criminal background

The suspect is a 49-year-old retired commander who was dishonorably discharged, has been tried and served prison time for fraud, embezzlement, extortion.
By Tomer Zarchin Tags: Israel crime Israel police IDF One of the private investigators suspected of harassing witnesses on behalf of former President Moshe Katsav, has a history of ethical misconduct, according documents obtained by Haaretz on Monday. The suspect, a 49-year-old retired commander who was released two days ago to house arrest, has been brought to court over multiple cases of fraud and embezzlement, and has even served prison time for his criminal misconduct. He has implicated prominent businessmen and politicians in his various and sundry nefarious dealings. The suspect served as an officer in an intelligence unit in the IDF, after which he joined an elite criminal investigation unit in the police. He was expelled from the police in 1991 when he was caught selling five VCRs illegally. Bilha Gilor, a judge at the Haifa District Court who presided over one of the retired military mans cases, wrote over a decade ago that there is no way of knowing what could bring a man who served in an exclusive Israel Defense Forces unit and then in an elite unit in the police, to take advantage of his talents in the criminal world. Gilor was referring to a case in which the suspect was convicted after he fraudulently presented himself as a private investigator or someone close to private investigators and then attempted to extort politicians and businessmen using information he had allegedly collected for their opposition. The suspect was arrested after the Mayor of Kiryat Yam, Shmuel Siso, reported him to the police for blackmail. He used forged documents, including court statements, medical assessments and bank records to con 120 thousand NIS from his victims. In 1999 the suspect was sent to prison for 40 months after reaching a plea bargain to reduce his sentence. He has since been involved in other illicit activities and in March last year was brought in for using a bugging device, intending to blackmail a Carmiel rabbi. The suspect arrived at the Rabbinate in Carmiel pretending to be a businessman wishing to open a restaurant. He then offered the rabbi cash in exchange for assistance, hoping he could then frame and extort him.

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Katsav's private investigators suspected of harassing w itnesses in his rape trial

This story is by: Tomer Zarchin

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News Latest update 02:34 12.07.11

Published 02:34 12.07.11

Police suspect former President Katsav hired private investigators to intimidate trial witnesses
Police interrogated Katsav, his two brothers, and his son for suspicion of harassing witnesses and violations of privacy.
By Tomer Zarchin A private investigator hired by former President Moshe Katsav is suspected, along with two others, of harassing witnesses and other people involved in Katsav's rape trial. A gag order on details of the investigation was lifted yesterday. The three are suspected of harassing a prosecution witness close to A., the former Tourism Ministry employee whom Katsav was convicted of raping twice, as well as a friend of A.'s who was called as a defense witness by Katsav's attorneys. The three also allegedly contacted A.'s husband and a reception clerk in the Jerusalem hotel where one of the rapes occurred; neither of these two testified at the trial. The alleged harassment took place in the months since the Tel Aviv District Court sentenced Katsav to seven years in jail in March. Katsav has yet to enter prison. On Sunday, police interrogated Katsav and two of his brothers, Lior and Yoram, as well as his son Noam. All are suspected of harassing witnesses and violations of privacy for having hired the private investigators and for having instructed him to obtain information on the four victims. The Katsavs denied they did anything illegal. Both when they hired the investigator and throughout his work, they said, they made it clear that the probe must be conducted legally. Last week, police arrested the investigator and a second man whom he allegedly hired specifically for this job. This man is not licensed to work as a private investigator and has been involved in numerous previous incidents of impersonation, forgery and fraud. Both were released to house arrest on Sunday after five days in jail. The third suspect is a female private investigator employed by the one Katsav hired. Next month, the Supreme Court will hear Katsav's appeal of his conviction and sentence. In addition to the rapes, which occurred while he was serving as tourism minister, he was also convicted of lesser sexual offenses against two other women who worked for him in various capacities. Police suspect that a month after Katsav was sentenced, members of his family, and especially his brother Yoram, hired the investigator to gather information about four people connected with the case, in an effort to gather evidence that would bolster his appeal. Since new evidence is normally not admissible during appeals unless it is extremely weighty, police assume the investigator was seeking something of that nature - for instance, a recantation of a witness' testimony, or information about statements A. had made that would undermine her story. People familiar with the case said the material gathered by the investigator had not yielded any such bombshell, and in fact produced nothing of value. Police said that A.'s husband and a close associate were both contacted by the man without a license, who used different false identities: To the former, he posed as the manager of a fictitious security firm at which he offered the husband a job, and to the latter, he posed as a director seeking to make a film about the case for the Sam Spiegel film school in Jerusalem. The man met with them in person and also spoke with them several times by phone, until the close associate became suspicious and went to the police. Last week, police seized three suspects' personal computers and various documents, including tapes and transcripts detailing the results of their efforts. Police do not think the former president was directly involved in hiring the investigator, but do suspect him of taking part in discussions with the three hired snoops and of giving them instructions once they had been given the job. "This act - harassing witnesses and complainants after being convicted - crossed all the red lines," a senior police source said yesterday. "The police are morally obliged to protect complainants and witnesses." Two of Katsav's attorneys, Avigdor Feldman and Avi Lavie, said yesterday they were completely unaware that a private investigator had been hired. A third, Zion Amir, declined to comment, saying he considered this unwise while the police investigation was in

progress. Attorney Ronen Rosenbloom, representing the investigator the Katsavs hired, said his client strictly obeyed the law and received legal advice throughout his investigation, and was therefore unlikely to be indicted. Attorney Alon Rapaport, representing the other man, said the latter's criminal past and lack of a license was irrelevant to this case, as he acted legally in this probe. The suspect, 49, served as an officer in an army intelligence unit, after which he joined an elite criminal investigation unit in the police. He was expelled from the police in 1991 when he was caught selling five VCRs illegally. He has since been involved in numerous shady incidents and has even served jail time for some of them. Bilha Gillor, a Haifa District Court judge who presided over one of his trials, wrote over a decade ago that "there is no way of knowing what could bring a man who served in an elite Israel Defense Forces unit and then in an elite police unit to take advantage of his talents in the criminal world." She was referring to a case in which the suspect was convicted of fraudulently presenting himself as a private investigator, or as someone close to private investigators, and then attempting to extort politicians and businessmen using information he had allegedly collected from their rivals. He was arrested after the mayor of Kiryat Yam, Shmuel Siso, reported him to the police for blackmail. He was convicted in 1999 of using forged documents, including court statements, medical assessments and bank records, to con NIS 120,000 from his victims, and was sentenced to 40 months in jail in a plea bargain. He has since been involved in other illicit activities, and in March last year was arrested for using a bugging device with the goal of blackmailing a Carmiel rabbi. He allegedly came to the rabbinate in Carmiel and pretended to be a businessman wishing to open a restaurant. He then offered the rabbi cash in exchange for assistance, hoping he could subsequently extort him.

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Katsav's private eye: The never-ending story

This story is by: Tomer Zarchin

Former President Moshe Katsav on way to court, November 10, 2011. Photo by: Yoav Galai