Former Israeli pres convicted of rape Former Israeli president convicted of rape

**jackalope** · 30th December 2010 11:45 AM

Former Israeli president convicted of rape

Israel's former President Katsav convicted of raping an employee when he was Cabinet minister

ARON HELLER
AP News

Dec 30, 2010 07:49 EST

Former President Moshe Katsav was convicted Thursday of raping an employee when he was a Cabinet minister, the most serious criminal charges ever brought against a high-ranking official in Israel and a case that shocked the nation.

Katsav, 65, likely faces from four to 16 years in prison for the crimes, which included two counts of raping an employee in 1998 when he was tourism minister and lesser counts of indecent acts and sexual harassment involving two other women who worked for him when he was president.

(snip)

Katsav's case initially broke in 2006, when the then-president complained that a female employee was extorting him. The woman then went to police with her side of the story, detailing a series of sexual assaults and prompting other women to come forward with similar complaints.

According to the indictment, Katsav forced one woman to the floor of his office at the Tourism Ministry in 1998 and raped her. A second time that year, he summoned her to a Jerusalem hotel to go over paperwork and raped her on the bed in his room. The indictment alleged that Katsav tried to calm his victim by saying: "Relax, you'll enjoy it."

The indictment also alleged that he harassed two women during his term as president, embracing them against their will and making unwanted sexual comments.

On Katsav's 60th birthday in 2005, an assistant offered congratulations. He then hugged her at length, sniffing her neck, according to the indictment. She complained to police, and the indictment said Katsav later tried to persuade her to change her testimony, earning him an additional charge of obstruction of justice.

The conviction by a three-judge panel was widely praised as a victory for Israel's legal system and for women's rights.

"The court sent two clear and sharp messages: that everyone is equal and every woman has the full right to her body," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement. He called the verdict a sad day for Israel and its citizens.

more ... Former Israeli president convicted of rape | TPM News Pages

Wow! The story is just .... wow. But, I agree, it does speak well of the Israeli legal system. Noone is above the law.

**Dr.Knuckles** · 30th December 2010 01:04 PM

Wow!

Quite the statement by Netanyahu too.

Of couse the rest of the world has been screaming to him that all races and religions are equal, and have full rights to their land and legal rights for a few decades now.... but I digress.

It does look like a real victory for the rule of law.

**Dr.Knuckles** · 30th December 2010 01:29 PM

Former Obama 'car czar' makes $10 mln graft payment - Yahoo! News

And here's another one caught with his hands in a cookie jar.

What is this, "Catch a scumbag" week?

These things usually come in threes... get my bookie on the phone. I think someone is finally gonna arrest Rumsfeld for something.

Probably something like owl fucking or dog fighting... the guy's a degenerate.

**angryamerican** · 30th December 2010 01:34 PM

Originally Posted by Inspector Gently

Former Obama 'car czar' makes $10 mln graft payment - Yahoo! News

And here's another one caught with his hands in a cookie jar.

What is this, "Catch a scumbag" week?

These things usually come in threes... get my bookie on the phone. I think someone is finally gonna arrest Rumsfeld for something.

Probably something like owl fucking or dog fighting... the guy's a degenerate.

Scumbag of the week would be O'Donnel, caught taking money from her campaign. Guess she thought it was all hers to spend however she wanted.

**jackalope** · 30th December 2010 03:22 PM

Originally Posted by Inspector Gently

Wow!

Quite the statement by Netanyahu too.

Of couse the rest of the world has been screaming to him that all races and religions are equal, and have full rights to their land and legal rights for a few decades now.... but I digress.

It does look like a real victory for the rule of law.

IA re: Netanyahu's statement, @Inspector Gently ! I was impressed

**jackalope** · 30th December 2010 03:23 PM

Originally Posted by Inspector Gently

Former Obama 'car czar' makes $10 mln graft payment - Yahoo! News

And here's another one caught with his hands in a cookie jar.

What is this, "Catch a scumbag" week?

These things usually come in threes... get my bookie on the phone. I think someone is finally gonna arrest Rumsfeld for something.

Probably something like owl fucking or dog fighting... the guy's a degenerate.

Damn! What a dirtbag !!!

**jackalope** · 30th December 2010 03:24 PM

Originally Posted by angryamerican

Scumbag of the week would be O'Donnel, caught taking money from her campaign. Guess she thought it was all hers to spend however she wanted.

Not big enough to be on par with a former President convicted of rape, and a former car czar paying a $10 million fine. We need a bigger scumbag to round out the trifecta !

**Seraphima** · 30th December 2010 06:48 PM

Originally Posted by jackalope

Wow! The story is just .... wow. But, I agree, it does speak well of the Israeli legal system. Noone is above the law.

I hope that pig Katsav gets the full 16 years.

As for what Netanyahu said, well... one step forward, two back. Israel is a long way from providing equal protections and freedoms to everyone regardless of sex, race/ethnicity and/or religion.

Letter urges Israeli girls to avoid dating Arabs - CNN.com

**jackalope** · 30th December 2010 07:57 PM

Originally Posted by Seraphima

I hope that pig Katsav gets the full 16 years.

As for what Netanyahu said, well... one step forward, two back. Israel is a long way from providing equal protections and freedoms to everyone regardless of sex, race/ethnicity and/or religion.

Letter urges Israeli girls to avoid dating Arabs - CNN.com

omg .... They sound like a cousin to the White Citizens Councils that Haley Barbour took such a shine to. It's just blatant racism and bigotry and stereotyping and all of it. Wow, that was a pretty ugly letter.