State agrees to drop rape charges against Katsav

By DAN IZENBERG
Jerusalem Post
Jun. 28, 2007

The state has agreed in principle to drop the rape charges in the indictment due to be filed in court against President Moshe Katsav as part of a plea bargain arrangement reached between his lawyers and the prosecution.

Attorney-General Menahem Mazuz is expected to announce the details of the arrangement next week.

He must first inform the women who complained to police about the president's alleged sexual behavior towards them about the details of the agreement.

According to reports, in return for dropping the rape charges, Katsav will agree to admit having had sexual relations with one of the four women whose complaints are included in the charges.

Until now, the president has denied having had sexual relations with any of the women, including four others who complained against him but whose complaints were not included in the draft of the indictment.

As it stood until now, the draft indictment included two counts of rape, both involving the woman known as the "second A.," who worked for him when he served as minister of tourism.

The charges regarding the "second A." also include committing an indecent act using force.

Regarding the "first A.," whose threat to tell the public that Katsav had raped her triggered the police investigation, the draft indictment includes charges of forbidden intercourse by consent by exploiting his authority in employment or service, committing an indecent act without consent, committing an indecent act by exploiting his authority and sexual harassment.

The draft indictment also includes charges of sexual harassment regarding two other women who worked in Katsav's office.

Katsav's lawyers, Zion Amir and Avigdor Feldman, refused to comment on the news of the plea bargain arrangement and expressed anger that the development had been leaked to the press. The justice ministry spokesman was unavailable for comment on Wednesday night, but according to media reports, he indicated that the sides had indeed reached an agreement.