JERUSALEM / GAZA: Israeli Parliament approves President Katsav's temporary suspension from office.

Israeli Parliament House Committee approved a temporary suspension request made by President Moshe Katsav following an announcement by prosecutors that they plan to charge him with rape and sexual assault. The Presidential sex scandal stirred calls for his resignation by Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Parliamentarians and the public. In Gaza, Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh made his comments on the affair. The Israeli Parliament (Knesset) House Committee approved on Thursday (January 25) a request by President Moshe Katsav to be temporarily suspended from duties, following allegations of rape and sexual assault made against him. Thirteen members of the Knesset House Committee out of a panel of 24 voted to approve Katsav's request and declared him "temporarily incapacitated," while Attorney-General Menachem Mazuz decides whether to order a trial. "These are moments of sadness and grief, moments of shame," said the chairperson of the Knesset House Committee, Ruhama Avraham, at the start of the 7-hour-long session. "From this moment the President ceases temporarily to fulfil his duties and act under his authorities, and the chairperson of the Knesset Dalia Itzik, is acting as a replacement for the President," Avraham announced after counting the votes. Katsav has denied wrongdoing in the scandal in an emotional speech on Wednesday (January 24). Katsav also announced he would take a leave of absence and fight against what would be an unprecedented criminal indictment of an Israeli head of state. Katsav said he had notified parliament he was suspending himself from his largely ceremonial duties, despite mounting demands from Israeli politicians that he quit. Parliament Speaker Dalia Itzik would temporarily fill in. Under Israeli law, a president cannot be put on trial while in office but parliament has the power to impeach him. Katsav's term is due to end in July. Attorney General Menachem Mazuz announced on Tuesday (January 23) his intention to indict 61-year-old Katsav on suspicion he raped a former staff member and sexually assaulted three other women who worked for him. Mazuz said he would invite Katsav and his lawyers to a hearing, whose date has yet to be set, before finalising charges. The allegations against the Iranian-born leader have stirred deep emotions in Israel, where the presidency is supposed to be a beacon of morality. Scores of women staged a protest outside Katsav's residency in Jerusalem, calling him to resign. "We don't think that the symbol of the state of Israel can stay one minute long when he's accused of such severe offences against women," said one protester. "It's a disgrace to the Israelis, to the women of Israel, to the democracy of Israel. He shouldn't be any one more minute there," said another. Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh made his first comment on the affair during a speech at a conference in Gaza City. "You can imagine an entity, whose leadership commits adultery and takes bribes and is dissolving. Would such a rapist leadership be able to dominate or control this nation and this proud people? Absolutely not," Haniyeh said. Knesset committee chairperson Ruhama Avraham said after the vote that many parliamentarians wanted tougher measures against Katsav, and discussions to impeach him could begin next week.

ITN Source | January 25, 2007

Tags:. .assault. .approves. .approved. .approve. .scandal