Let’s face it, everybody, and let’s give ‘credit’ where credit is due. Judging from the outcome of former Israeli president Moshe Katzav’s plea bargaining agreement, and his interview Tuesday on Israel’s Channel 2 television station, it now appears that the former president believes that he is so “cool” that women literally fell all over him. Katzav seems to be under the illusion that women he worked with, particularly the ones who lodged complaints against him, fell for his irresistible charms and only blew the whistle on him after he refused to pay them compensation that in once case amounted to more than $200 ,000.
State prosecutor, Manny Mazuz, in an interview with reporters over the weekend, said that his office made the decision to drop the charges of rape if Katzav admitted to lesser crimes such as sexual harassment and intimidation, and other forms of sexual misconduct in order to “spare the State and the Israeli people the embarrassment of a lengthily trial” against such a high ranking figure.
The bottom line in this saga is that Katzav appears to be being spared any kind of prison term, and only has to pay financial compensation – probably a much lower amount than he should have to pay since his actions have ruined the lives of the women who are accusing him of such dire crimes; especially the one known to everyone as “A.”
If the former president’s crimes are as terrible as “A” and his other accusers say they are, then the only conclusion we can draw is that a lot more than just the sexual philandering of a well known public figure are at stake here. Many people, who attended the demonstration last Saturday night in Tel Aviv’s Rabin square, are saying: “we have all been raped (as a result of Katzav’s actions)” .
Years ago, it used to be said that young female soldiers were often victims to this kind of harassment by their male commanding officers; and only within the past few years has this fact been brought to the attention of the news media – and of course, the general public. This problem has now expanded itself to be reaching all sections of both the public and private sector; and, in the case of Moshe Katzav, is reaching all the way to the top.
The saga of Moshe Katzav, and the cases against him, is still far from over as too many people living in Israel – in all walks of life – are not prepared to accept the decision of Mr. Mezuz and his legal staff. As for Mr. Katzav himself, if he is so ‘lovable’ as he paints himself to be, let him prove it by showing a bit more remorse for his actions instead of trying to present himself as being a scapegoat of both the media and the public at large.
You did what you did, Mr. Katzav. So be a man and admit it!
July 6, 2007 at 1:22 pm
Hmmmm…
Judging from the response so far, I guess that all women do love him!
July 7, 2007 at 7:15 am
What we have here is a pathetic individual whose sexual appetite and outright audacity has astounded and disgusted everyone.
The only real difference between Katsav and Israel’s other notorious serial rapist, Benny Sella, is that Kaysav knew his victims beforehamd.
In many ways, including his reaching such a high public position, it mskes Katsav even more a threat to society than Sella.
And despite this, and due to his assembling a top-notch legal team, he’s likely to pull off a legal coup even more outrageous than O.J. Simpson or Michael Jackson did.
Sella, being poor, couldn’t do this. That’s why he is where he is.