Israel's Former President Found Guilty Of Rape

Moshe Katsav, Israel's first kippa-wearing president, was  found guilty today of two counts of rape and other abuses, after four-year trial held mostly behind closed doors; Judge: Katsav's story was riddled with lies.

Katsav's lawyers: We'll appeal 'unequivocal' rape verdict
Former president found guilty of two counts of rape and other abuses, after four-year trial held mostly behind closed doors; Judge: Katsav's story was riddled with lies.
By Ofra Edelman, Tomer Zarchin • Ha’aretz

Former President Moshe Katsav's attorneys are planning to appeal the Tel Aviv District Court's decision to convict him of rape, sexual assault and other sexual abuses.

"Precisely because the verdict was so unequivocal there is room to appeal and to raise the fact that the court ignored the evidence," attorney Avigdor Feldman told Israel Radio after the judges read their decision on Thursday.

"The verdict has created an image of Moshe Katsav as a gambling man, devious and a manipulator," added Feldman. "There is absolutely no basis for that."

When asked whether he really believed that his client was innocent, Feldman declared: "When Moshe Katsav decided to reject the plea bargain, it was clear that he was heading toward a vicious battle… but he decided to do it. I say that it looks like he has been guided by his conscience."

In a separate interview with Army Radio, Feldman said that he was worried about the effect this verdict would have on Katsav's mental health. "I hope he will have the strength," said Feldman.

Prosecutor Ronit Emanuel urged journalists as she exited the courtroom to focus first and foremost on the complainants, whose identities have been kept secret for protection. "The public treats them as letters, devoid of names or personalities," said Emanuel.

"We have seen you through the criminal process show continued courage and determination in dealing with the events you experienced," Emanuel said, addressing her remarks directly to the victims. "Today, we salute you. The message to survivors of harassment is 'do not be silent'."

"Today was not an easy day for the State of Israel on the symbolic national plain, not on Mr. Katsav's personal plain," she added. "But this day teaches us that world leaders and also presidents will be brought court when needed, and that is a symbol of honor for the State of Israel."

The Tel Aviv court found Katsav on two counts of rape, sexual assault, sexual harassment and obstruction of justices. The judges ruled that his version of events was "riddled with lies."

The unanimous verdict was handed down more than four years after complaints surfaced of grave sexual offenses against various subordinates, during his terms as tourism minister and as president.

Katsav was convicted of raping and sexually assaulting A., a former employee at the Tourism Ministry. He was also convicted of sexually harassing H. from the President's Residence, of sexually abusing and harassing L. from the President's Residence and of obstruction of justice.
The 65-year-old former president was acquitted on only one charge - that he allegedly harassed a witness.

The year-long trial took place almost entirely behind closed doors, and left the public wondering whether Katsav made a wise move when he abruptly dropped out of an extremely lenient plea bargain two years ago.

The plea bargain meant that Katsav would not face the most serious charges and promised him a suspended sentence at worse, but the former president decided he wanted to prove his innocence in court.

As he read the verdict aloud Thursday, presiding judge George Karra said that by choosing to reject the plea bargain, Katzav had shuffled the deck, and not in his own favor.

Karra told the court that the long period of time that passed during the trial had led to new evidence arising, which supported A.'s claim and essentially discredited Katsav.

Katsav had tried to charm A., Karra determined, and when she did not respond to his overtures, he began to harass her. The defendant told the victim that he was in love with her, added Karra, and left her feeling humiliated.

"We accept A.'s version of events that the humiliation stemmed from a single reason, that she refused to accept the defendant's sexual advances," ruled the panel of judges.

"While the defense team called this a malicious plot born from A.'s desire to seek revenge against the accused for firing her, the prosecution produced a list of witnesses who testified to having heard A.'s remarks over the course of time between when the event occurred and when the case broke open," said Karra.

"These testimonies disqualify claims of slander," the judges ruled. "All of the testimonies based on what A. said contradict the defendant's claims that this was an invention born of emotion."

The court did not immediately hand down a date for sentencing. Rape carries a minimum prison sentence of four years and a maximum of 16 years.

 [Hat Tips: Yochanan Lavie, Ruthie.]

Comments

[ruthie]

this is great. now if we can only get some rabbis convicted...i know one in rockland county that belongs in jail.

[Mr. Apikoros]

The fact that Katsav wears a kippe is totally irrelevant to the story.

[Shmarya]

The fact that Katsav wears a kippe is totally irrelevant to the story.

Posted by: Mr. Apikoros | December 30, 2010 at 10:08 AM

The fact that the volume of your brain is significantly smaller than the volume of your ego is relevant to almost everything you write.

Anyway, what makes it important is that I cover ORTHODOX and haredi crime. Katsav is both Orthodox and a criminal – and he was Israel's first Orthodox senior-level politician.

[Dr. Dave]

The fact that Katsav wears a kippe is totally irrelevant to the story.

What makes it vitally relevant is that it makes this situation a public Chilul Hashem.

If you must sin, don't besmirch your religion and most importantly your G-d's name!

[Loshon Hora]

Anyway, what makes it important is that I cover ORTHODOX and haredi crime. Katsav is both Orthodox and a criminal – and he was Israel's first Orthodox senior-level politician.

Posted by: Shmarya | December 30, 2010 at 10:16 AM

Greek Orthodox?

[SJ]

As much as I am happy to see a selfrighteous asshole religious criminal go behind bars, I have to ask, how was the woman able to prove that penetration took place?

Because, it would seem to me as a nonexpert, that short of penetration it's sexual abuse instead of rape. I would like to know how the plantiff's case was proven.

[SJ]

>> Katsav had tried to charm A., Karra determined, and when she did not respond to his overtures, he began to harass her. The defendant told the victim that he was in love with her, added Karra, and left her feeling humiliated.

Humiliating anyone is of course wrong, but I don't see how humiliating someone rises to the level of ... a crime.

More info on the case please!

[Menachem Mendel lll]

I would like to extend a heartfelt Mazel Tov and congratulations to "President" Moshe Katsav and to his entire family on the successful conclusion of his criminal trial.

I look forward to the Haredi and frum Jewish peoples response from the USA a la pidyon shvuyim and ahavas yisroooel by handing over a percentage of their income to the convicted Hebrew's criminal defence fund a la Rubashkin.

May he receive the blessings of Hardened Arabian and Jewish Druggie Peni in prison thrice daily to help aid in his rehabilitation and to allow him experience the joy and ecstasy of what unwelcome circumcised meat really tastes like.

Moshiach Uber Alles!

[Is Shmaryahu Jewish?]

Moshe Katzav did not wear a Kippah any more than Shimon Peres or Yitchock Rabin. Politicians put on Kipahs when they vist rabonim or attend religous events. A true jounalist gets the facts before he publishes.

[Scott Trader]

You cover Jewish crime, not orthodox crime; that is an oxymoron. A person who dresses orthodox but commits crimes is not orthodox.

[Shmarya]

Moshe Katzav did not wear a Kippah any more than Shimon Peres or Yitchock Rabin. Politicians put on Kipahs when they vist rabonim or attend religous events. A true jounalist gets the facts before he publishes.

Posted by: Is Shmaryahu Jewish? | December 30, 2010 at 10:55 AM

Please.

Moshe Katsav is Orthodox and is well-known for being so.

When he was a Likud politician, he was very prominently described as Orthodox or kippa-wearing.

[Shmarya]

You cover Jewish crime, not orthodox crime; that is an oxymoron. A person who dresses orthodox but commits crimes is not orthodox.

Posted by: Scott Trader | December 30, 2010 at 11:01 AM

Look up the No True Scotsman fallacy.

[Scott Trader]

The falllacy only applies based on your perception of orthodoxy. If mode of dress is how you define orthodoxy, then it would apply. I would respectfully disagree.

[Is Shmaryahu Jewish?]

"Please.

Moshe Katsav is Orthodox and is well-known for being so.

When he was a Likud politician, he was very prominently described as Orthodox or kippa-wearing.

"Well known" is a flse argument. Orthodox and kippah wearing are NOT synonymous.
Even in the picture you show for the article he is not wearing a Kippah. Whether he is Orthodox or not is between him and G-d, and has nothing to do with a Kipah.

Why didn't your headline read:
"Israels first Sephardic President convicted of rape?" I think the answer to this question speaks for itself.

[Shmarya]

The falllacy only applies based on your perception of orthodoxy. If mode of dress is how you define orthodoxy, then it would apply. I would respectfully disagree.

Posted by: Scott Trader | December 30, 2010 at 11:12 AM

You're a walking example of it. When you define who is and who is not Orthodox by actual behavior rather than by affiliation with and acceptance by the Orthodox community, you allow yourself to write any criminal out of Orthodoxy, such as: The Spinka Rebbe is not Orthodox because an Orthodox Jew would not have laundered money."

That's what you do.

And that is what is called the No True Scotsman Fallacy.

[Shmarya]

Why didn't your headline read:
"Israels first Sephardic President convicted of rape?" I think the answer to this question speaks for itself.

Posted by: Is Shmaryahu Jewish? | December 30, 2010 at 11:17 AM
Shmarya

You're right. I'm soft on Sefardim. [/end sarcasm]

[Scott Trader]

And you are doing the same thing in reverse. I go by the objective criteria of the instruction manual, not the subjective and perhaps arbitrary determinations of those focused on externalities.

[the usual chaim]

"Humiliating anyone is of course wrong, but I don't see how humiliating someone rises to the level of ... a crime."

SJ - sexual harassment is a crime. here too. and it is not mere humiliation, it is an exertion of power - powerful people without ethics use humiliation as a strategy to get others to do what they want. It might also be pointed out that jewish law views humiliation as a crime ethically on par with murder, it is prosecutable and humiliation is considered a form of damages that merit compensation. This is, of course, to be distinguished from humilation used as a tool to prevent ethical breaches - this is fundamentally what herem is about and, in today's mediated society, what sites like this are about.

[Bassy the Haredi Slayer]

Katsav was a poster boy for haredis especially to the former Conservative Jew/ former Tropper's employee and current holier-than-thou BT Jonatahan Resenblum who penned an article thanking Katsav for refusing to call Rabbi Yoffie as rabbi because he is a Reform Rabbi

Not sure what make this BT to idolize sexual predators such as Katsav and Tropper.

Rosenblum fellatio-ing Katsav

http://www.cross-currents.com/archives/2006/07/05/thanks-president-katzav/

[Aleksandr Sigalov]

Careful, Shmarya!

ZOG agents are nigh ! ;)

lol

[Shmarya]

And you are doing the same thing in reverse. I go by the objective criteria of the instruction manual, not the subjective and perhaps arbitrary determinations of those focused on externalities.

Posted by: Scott Trader | December 30, 2010 at 11:34 AM

No.

What you are doing is using the No True Scotsman fallacy. It is ridiculous on its face and makes no logical sense.

[A E ANDERSON]

It is interesting that no details of the rapes have been reported. Which is sad, because inquiring minds would like to understand the modus operandi of the most prominent serial rapist in Israel's history.

Were Katzav's rapes perhaps the result of cross-cultural misunderstanding or miscommunication? Did the complainants only complain when they didn't receive some benefit afterwards?

Then, there's always the thought: "LO" means "No," except when it means "to him." (לא – לו).

I remain amused at Putin's remarks to Olmert: "Say hello to your president. He really surprised us... turned out to be quite a mighty man. He raped 10 women. I never expected it from him. He surprised all of us. We all envy him."

While amusing, I do think the whole affair is tiresome. After all, heads of state should be able to get head without all the funny repercussions. What's the point of being a ruler, at the top of the heap, if you don't get a little Droit de seigneur every so often?!

[Is Shmaryahu Jewish?]

You're right. I'm soft on Sefardim. [/end sarcasm]

No, you just have double standards.

Bassy (daughter of G-d):
Being complimented by Jonathan Rosenblum does not make someone "Kipah wearing".

[What kind of goyishe name is Harold z"l?]

The one thing I do not get is why such an obviously good looking man with beautiful implants needed to rape anyone.

[Shmarya]

You're right. I'm soft on Sefardim. [/end sarcasm]

No, you just have double standards.

No, you're confused. You are the person with evident double standards.

[the usual chaim]

"While amusing, I do think the whole affair is tiresome. After all, heads of state should be able to get head without all the funny repercussions. What's the point of being a ruler, at the top of the heap, if you don't get a little Droit de seigneur every so often?!"

anderson, are you kidding? whats the point of being head of state if you cant rape someone?! that is the most cynical and nihilistic thing I have heard in a long time. if you genuinely believe this you have no right to criticize anything any of the haredim reported on this site do. damn, the men here are so self righteous and, yet, so deeply misogynistic!

[Is Shmaryahu Jewish?]

No, you're confused

Who is confused?

You call someone "Kipah wearing" when they don't. And you call me confused?

[Shmarya]

You call someone "Kipah wearing" when they don't. And you call me confused?

Posted by: Is Shmaryahu Jewish? | December 30, 2010 at 12:47 PM

Moron.

He wears a kippa, but not to court, and was known as a kippa-werer while in Knesset, and is openly ORTHODOX.

That you are too ignorant to know this is not my problem.

[ah-pee-chorus]

Scott Trader -

using your faulty logic , there does not exist ANY orthodox jews. once a person misses one minyan, has any impure thoughts, he is no longer ortho since he wasnt following the rulebook perfectly.
they should put your picture next to the description of "no true scotsman".

[Ovadia Ben Zona]

Shmarya - What is it with your predisposition to resort to name calling when others disagree with you.

You come off like an arrogant bastard.

[Bassy the Haredi Slayer]

Why didn't your headline read:
"Israels first Sephardic President convicted of rape?" I think the answer to this question speaks for itself.

You obiously do not know Israeli politics, The first Sephardic president was Yitchak Navon

[Visitor]

I actually visited him (with a tour) in Mishkan Hanasi, he did wear kippa, there is a shul there and he wentthere daily for Mincha and Maariv.

[SJ]

>> SJ - sexual harassment is a crime

I know, moron (referring to the usual chiam).

All my point is that sometimes women exaggerate things. Like, how do we know Katzav wasn't just being an asshole? Being an asshole is a crime now? Should all asshole bosses go to jail?

[Snuffaluffagus]

The NTS theory is based on objective criteria. A Scotsman is determined to be one by the legal definition of who is Scottish and the person's response qualifying that to be based on who is a true scotsman is subjective and led to the theory. Wearing a kippah does not make one orthodox and that is a subjective qualification not objective criteria. I have to agree with Scott Trader on this one.

[Shmarya]

Please.

The man identified as Orthodox and was considered so by Orthodox Jews and rabbis.

Look around you. In Satmar, criminals and slumlords get choice aliyot and community honors. In the yeshiva world, financial criminals publish Artscroll books and head organizations.

You have to be blind and willfully ignorant to make the argument he's making.

[ah-pee-chorus]

Snuffaluffagus-
there is definitely a difference between objective and subjective criteria. however, if the criteria is so subjective that it permits one to claim that because one committed an act which goes against what "real orthodoxy" requires, ergo the person isnt really orthodox, then there would be no meaning to the term "orthodox". and if that was the measuring stick, there are no orthodox jews as i wrote earlier.
so you would now be forced to say that some measures of violating torah law do NOT remove the label of ortho (such as missing minyan, bittul torah, impure thoughts), while others, such as theft or rape, DO remove you from ortho. and since this can conveniently be applied to any person who was prior considered to be orthodox, but has now done something you are embarassed about, it has no distinction with the 'no true scot' concept in that the bar can be moved by the user of the term 'scotsman' to exclude even one born in scotland if he doesnt wear a kilt. in his mind, a 'true scotsman' is one who acts the way he deems appropriate for a scotsman to act.

[Shmarya]

Posted by: ah-pee-chorus | December 30, 2010 at 02:15 PM

Exactly!

[the usual chaim]

SJ- if he was being an asshole by sexually harassing his workers then he committed a crime. it is very simple. you have no right to assume that the women are exaggerating. and beyond that, he is not just accused of harassment, he is accused of rape. will you join the rest of the misogynists that minimize violence against women by pretending that men dont abuse them and distrusting them when they report, thus supporting further violence by discouraging reporting?

[jay]

Shmarya has posted on Ovadiah, his son, Deri and other Sefardim. It's really not tenable to call him "soft on sephardim"

[SJ]

The usual chaim let me be even clearer for your little head-

What did Katzav say? What did Katzav do?

Don't say waaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh sexual harassment, HOW DID IT HAPPEN

[Is Shmaryahu Jewish?]

Moron.
Posted by: Shmarya | December 30, 2010 at 12:49 PM

Comment Rules
1. No anonymous comments.

2. Use only one name or alias and stick with that.

3. Do not use anyone else's name or alias.

4. Try to argue using facts and logic.

"5. No name-calling, please."

***Violation of these rules may lead to the violator's comments being edited or his future comments being banned.***

[Shmarya]

Posted by: Is Shmaryahu Jewish? | December 30, 2010 at 02:59 PM

Again, when someone blatantly lies or hurls invective first, I respond as I see fit.

As for you, are you Jewish? How can we be sure? Perhaps your mother was a Ukrainian prostitute? Is she still? How will we ever know for sure?

Got that, moron?

[jay]

From Wikipedia:On 19 October 2006, Russian President Vladimir Putin was quoted as saying to Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert regarding the allegations surrounding Katsav, "Say hello to your president. He really surprised us... turned out to be quite a mighty man. He raped 10 women. I never expected it from him. He surprised all of us. We all envy him." Olmert replied "I wouldn't envy him". [39] In a call-in television program Putin did not deny making the comment but said that "using instruments such as protecting women’s rights to resolve political issues that are unconnected with this problem is absolutely inadmissible. And this is because it actually discredits the struggle for women’s rights". He also criticized the press's eavesdropping on his conversation with Olmert.[40]

[Is Shmaryahu Jewish?]

I respond as I see fit.
"Do as i say not as I do"

[Ovadia Ben Zona]

Perhaps your mother was a Ukrainian prostitute? Is she still? How will we ever know for sure?

Got that, moron?
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Well Shmarya, at least your not vindictive.

[Shmarya]

Perhaps your mother was a Ukrainian prostitute? Is she still? How will we ever know for sure?

Got that, moron?
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Well Shmarya, at least your not vindictive.

Lets see.

A person leaves comments attacking me and uses the alias "Is Shmaryau Jewish?"

After a bit, I respond by MOCKING him for that.

And you call ME vindictive?

[Ovadia zine beh-sechel]

At the risk of my maternal heritage also being questioned.

Being overly defensive does not a good moderator make. However, this is your sweet 16, do whatever you want. I find your outbursts amusing.

[Shmarya]

At the risk of my maternal heritage also being questioned.

Being overly defensive does not a good moderator make. However, this is your sweet 16, do whatever you want. I find your outbursts amusing.

Posted by: Ovadia zine beh-sechel | December 30, 2010 at 04:30 PM

How typical.

A guy leaves comments using the alias "Is Shmaryau Jewish?" and you attack ME for responding to that but not him for doing it?

You are one morally confused little man.

[Ovadia zine beh-sechel]

And you are one cheeky little blighter!

[jay]

Dang, if his mom was a Ukrainian prostitute, I'll bet she was TOTALLY HOT!!!!!

On a more serious note, I interpreted Shmarya's questions as rhetorical statement intended to provoke thought. He didn't call the guy's mother a prostitute, he posed the types of questions that aren't all that much different from the inflammatory probing of the Haredi Rabbinate. It was quite reminiscent of the inquiries when they put an innocent person through their "are you a a Jew" inquisitions

[Isa]

I see arguments whether this guy was [is]Orthodox or not.

I used to be in such a community... not any more, of course.
A pious schochet explained it this way...
An example of someone who puts on Tefillin every day and screws and cheats his workers at every opportunity.
This is an example of someone who is observant but not religious.
This pious schochet explained all his outward observance will do him no good either.

Then one can have a non-observant person that IS religious, employing fair deals and treatment for his workers and such as person is religious.

Of course,he added, "its best to be both"

In my shul of old, I have seen both with lots of shades of gray. Not too many pious types with not too many blood sucking vampires, with one person ,if there was such a thing, a Jewish KKK type. Most people were just normal. Then again this was the Midwest

[the usual chaim]

SJ - if you want to know then read the court documents. obviously the jury and the judge felt the evidence was compelling and that katzav committed the acts of which he was accused. no one is whining, they are condemning inhuman behavior as they should while you are defending it.

[Loshon Hora]

Shmaryahoooo!
Kikarshabat quotes Beth El rabbi Aviner saying according to the facts he has seen not Ruach Hakodesh, the case was slanted, & he should have beeen not guilty.
How come you didn't print it?

[Mr. Apikoros]

The fact that Katsav wears a kippe is totally irrelevant to the story.

Posted by: Mr. Apikoros | December 30, 2010 at 10:08 AM

The fact that the volume of your brain is significantly smaller than the volume of your ego is relevant to almost everything you write.

Anyway, what makes it important is that I cover ORTHODOX and haredi crime. Katsav is both Orthodox and a criminal – and he was Israel's first Orthodox senior-level politician.

Posted by Shmarya Rosenberg

Insulting me may make you feel better, but it doesn't change the fact that whether Katsav sometimes wore a kippe had absolutely nothing to do with his actions as a convicted rapist.

Now have a happy new year.

[Adam Neira]

Not everyone who has committed a crime of sexual assault against another human being in the Jewish community will be charged in such a public way as Moshe Katsav, but this is an important case. It helps set the tone and powerfully impinges on the group consciousness. As a leader of the nation he had certain responsibilities to carry out. As President he was also given a lot of material support and assistance. He certainly wasn’t a righteous tzaddiks toiling under poverty conditions and little pay. The conviction coming on the Christian/Gregorian New Year's Eve was a clever piece of management. May this help turn the tide permanently in the Holy Land. Prayers for the women involved and all victims of sexual assault.