Israeli President- The Next Clinton? (1 Viewer)

[Testpilot]

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli President Moshe Katsav, under pressure to resign after police recommended he be charged with rape, stayed away from a parliamentary ceremony on Monday after legislators threatened to snub him.
The allegations have cast a shadow on the presidency, a public office Israelis cherish as being above their usual rough-and-tumble politics.
Katsav, whose position is largely ceremonial and who is widely seen as a unifying force in a country of deep political divides, has denied any wrongdoing and said he is the victim of a "public lynching without trial".

http://stateoftheworld.reuters.com/

After weeks of investigation, police and the Justice Ministry said they had gathered evidence that Katsav, a veteran politician, "carried out sex crimes of rape, sexual molestation by force and without consent" against women who worked for him.

SOURCE:http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=topNews&storyID=2006-10-16T165545Z_01_L08132872_RTRUKOC_0_US-ISRAEL-PRESIDENT.xml&WTmodLoc=NewsHome-C1-topNews-6

 

[katie_tully]

Yeah, um...see, Clinton was never charged with rape. Coz the 'sexual relations' were consensual.

 

[Testpilot]

I meant Clinton as in Sexual misconduct, but yes this is significantly worse.

 

[wuddie]

i think it is absolutely fked that presidents of those countries gets prosecution immunity. after all, they are part of the legal system, if they want the same protection under the law, then they should be no different to anyone else. no offense to the israeli, but the fact that the presidential term is 7 years, does that mean if the president kills someone in his first year, he'd be prosecution-free for another 6 years, and still in charge of the country? prosecute him now!

 

[Aryanbeauty]

If evidence are damning, presidents of most countries can always be impeached by parliament, despite their immunity from prosecution. It's not only the head of State who are enjoying this rights, but also thousands of diplomats around the world are using and abusing their diplomatic immunity. They refused to pay traffic speeding fines, murder police officer (in UK by Libyan diplomat), run up huge credit and bills and refuse to pay etc.

If the allegations are true he needs to be impeached and prosecuted. Not good for the morale of a nation blighted by wars and terrorism.

 

[katie_tully]

Yes but again I have issues with the comparison to Clinton and the use of 'sexual misconduct'.

Clinton got head from an intern and had sexual relations whilst married. Morally deficient? Maybe. Sexual misconduct? No, as both he and 'she' consented to the acts. As the sexual acts did not impose on his ability to be the President I never really understood all the furore over the incident. Other than the fact he lied about it, on the grand scale of things it's not worthy of mention if it happens to any other member of society.

However, this is rape. Not only rape, but allegations of deprevation and molestation. They carry a heavier weight and are genuine examples of something worse than 'sexual misconduct'. If it's true, and if there is sufficient evidence of the rapes occuring, he will be charged. We know this because Israel is by most accounts a Western country. If he is cleared, or if the allegations aren't as serious as made out to be, it would still be expected that he resign at least.

 

[Testpilot]

Yes but again I have issues with the comparison to Clinton and the use of 'sexual misconduct'.

I said that in the title to get more views...and it obviously failed. But i stand by rape being sexual misconduct.

 

[katie_tully]

It possibly is, but to me the phrase 'sexual misconduct' doesn't seem to do the act justice. I'd consider sexual misconduct to be a slap on the arse at the photocopier, or grabbing a tit at the water cooler.