Israeli President Katsav taking leave of absence

Jerusalem, Jan 25: Israel President Moshe Katsav announced inan emotional speech today that he would take a leave of absence andfight what he called venomous allegations that he raped and sexuallyassaulted female employees.

''McCarthyism is alive in Israel,'' Katsav said, describing thetactics of a disgraced U.S. senator who with scant evidence accusedmany Americans of being Communists or sympathisers in the 1950s.

''I will fight to my last breath,'' he said. ''I am not preparedto bow to blackmail.'' Katsav said he had notified parliament he wassuspending himself from his largely ceremonial duties ahead of whatwould be an unprecedented criminal indictment of an Israeli head ofstate. Parliament Speaker Dalia Itzik would temporarily fill in.

He said he would resign only if formally indicted, despite mounting demands from legislators that he leave office immediately.

In a statement yesterday, Attorney-General Menachem Mazuzannounced his intention to indict Katsav, 61, on suspicion he raped aformer staff member and sexually assaulted three other women who workedfor him.

''I will fight to clear my name,'' Katsav said on television,almost breaking into tears and pounding on a podium in a show of anger.''I didn't carry out any of the actions attributed to me.'' Theallegations against the Iranian-born Katsav, whose rise from the slumsonce served as a shining example for disadvantaged Jewish immigrantsfrom the West Asia and North Africa, have stirred deep emotions inIsrael, where the presidency is supposed to be a beacon of morality.

''Don't believe the smears and lies,'' Katsav said, blaming theIsraeli media for jumping to judgment and accusing the women whobrought complaints against him of seeking revenge because he eitherfired them or didn't accede to work-related demands.

With his wife and other family members sitting nearby, Katsavsaid: ''Even in these difficult days, I do not intend to bow my headand tarnish my honour.'' ''These are venomous allegations,'' he said.''After the facts become clear, every citizen of Israel will understandthe scope of injustice being carried out here.'' HEARING Mazuz said hewould invite Katsav and his lawyers to a hearing, whose date has yet tobe set, before finalising charges.

Under Israeli law, a president cannot be put on trial while inoffice but parliament has the power to impeach him. Katsav's term isdue to end in July.

The case was unlikely to have a direct impact on Prime MinisterEhud Olmert, who himself is under investigation over alleged corruption.

Olmert has denied any misdeeds in the matters being probed --suspected influence-peddling in the sale of his Jerusalem home in 2004and an alleged attempt to give cronies a boost in bidding in a bankprivatisation in 2005.

Parliament elected Katsav president in 2000 -- he beat Nobel PeacePrize laureate Shimon Peres -- after Ezer Weizman resigned from thepost following revelations he had received 0,000 in gifts from aFrench millionaire. Weizman died in 2005.

Peres, 83, is currently vice prime minister and has been mooted as a candidate to succeed Katsav.

Reuters>