JERUSALEM/ISRAEL: Competition for successors heats up as prosecuters draft charge sheet against Israeli President over sex crimes

Prosecutors have begun to draft a charge sheet against Israeli President Moshe Katsav after police said they had evidence he committed rape, Israeli media reported on Tuesday (October 17). Army Radio reported that the state attorney-general, Menachem Mazuz, is likely to decide within two weeks to press charges against Katsav, who is under growing pressure to resign over the scandal involving female employees. The report, published also by the Haaretz newspaper, said Jerusalem prosecutors were drafting a charge sheet after police said on Sunday (October 15) they had evidence Katsav had "carried out sex crimes of rape, sexual molestation by force and without consent." The Justice Ministry spokesman did not answer telephone calls seeking comment. Israelis in Jerusalem voiced disappointment and sorrow over the president's charges. "We are very disappointed because nobody ever thought something like this (could happen)," said Jerusalem resident Helen Michali. "Imagine how it will play in the other parts of the world - president of Israel indicted for rape, how bad is that. It's terrible, very sad," added Jerry, a fellow resident. Leading Israeli newspapers ran headlines reading 'The race for the president begins' and published pictures of potential successors. Katsav, 60, whose position is ceremonial, is widely seen as a unifying force in a country of deep political divides, and has denied any wrongdoing, saying he is the victim of a "public lynching without trial". His lawyer, Tsion Amir, said the president would resign his post if an indictment is brought against him. Katsav is the highest ranking Israeli politician ever suspected of sex crimes. He could face up to 16 years in prison if he was tried and found guilty of rape. Israeli politicians have urged him to resign or suspend himself, and under the pressure Katsav stayed away from a ceremonial opening of parliament's winter session on Monday (October 16). Israeli Vice Premier Shimon Peres, a Nobel peace laureate, was a candidate to replace Katsav, though it was unclear whether he would agree to run. Katsav had defeated Peres in an upset election when he was chosen by parliament in 2000. Another name mentioned as a possible candidate is former cabinet minister Natan Sharansky, a former Soviet dissident whose aide has said would soon resign his parliament seat with the rightist Likud party for full time research. Other leading candidates are Knesset member of the right-wing Likud Reuven Rivlin, Tel Aviv's Chief Rabbi Meir Lau and former Israeli consul to New York and a current Knesset member of Labour, Kolet Avital. "I would love to see Rabbi Lau the next president. Morality for started, he is a great man, honours the... he is a nice man and he would honour the duty, his job," said Batsheva Elimeleh, resident of Jerusalem. "I like Sharansky. He is got a reputation of integrity and he is a human rights guy but he is a strong fighter for Israel and he is a man of principle, he withdrew from the government on principle, he didn't wait until the end like (Benjamin) Netanyahu and so I think that we can use that," said Jerry, referring to Sharansky's resignation from Ariel Sharon's government over an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza in 2005.

ITN Source | October 17, 2006

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