Israel's president relieved of duties for one day
Israel’s parliament today granted Israeli president Moshe Katsav’s request to temporarily step down in light of a police investigation into accusations he sexually harassed former employees.
Katsav had asked to leave his position for one day – Thursday – so he would not have to preside over the swearing-in of the new chief justice of the Supreme Court.
Katsav has said he did not want to distract attention on the day when Dorit Beinish was to be sworn in as the first female chief justice in Israel’s history.
Knesset speaker Dalia Itzik will fill in for the president at the ceremony.
Members of the Knesset committee voted in favour of relieving Katsav of his duties for one day, with 12 voting in favour, six voting against and three abstaining.
Committee chair Ruhama Avraham, of the ruling Kadima Party, encouraged the president to recuse himself for longer, until his police investigation was completed.
“I have an honest will to relieve the incoming president of the Supreme Court of the embarrassing setting in which she would have to face a man accessed of a series of sexual crimes of the worst kind,” said Shelly Yachimovitch, a Labour Party legislator, who voted in favour.
Katsav, whose position is largely ceremonial, was questioned Wednesday for a fifth time over the sexual harassment allegations.
Senior police officers are looking into a complaint filed by a former presidential employee alleging that Katsav sexually harassed her. Israeli media have reported that at least three women accused Katsav of rape.
At least one other employee accused Katsav of selling presidential pardons - one of the few powers conferred to him. The Yediot Ahronot daily reported Wednesday that a police investigation into the pardons was unlikely to end in charges.
Katsav has denied the allegations. Investigators are also looking into his allegation that one of his former employees attempted to extort him.
Since the first complaints against Katsav surfaced several months ago, several women have gone anonymously to the media with claims he had made unwanted advances.
Newspaper editorials and several lawmakers have called on Katsav to resign or at least take an extended leave of absence until the allegations against him are proved or disproved. Katsav says he is innocent and refuses to step down for an extended period.
A Labour Party legislator has started gathering signatures from members of parliament to launch impeachment proceedings.
