Last update - 00:00 29/01/2007
House Committee to vote on process for dismissing Katsav on Tuesday
By Yuval Yoaz, Gideon Alon and Amiram Barkat, Haaretz Correspondents
Members of the Knesset House Committee on Monday agreed to hold a vote Tuesday on the procedure for passing a motion to dismiss President Moshe Katsav, who faces an imminent indictment.
The committee members held a heated debate and exchanged insults over whether the president should be dismissed even before he has been formally indicted.
Last week, the House Committee approved Katsav's request for a three-month temporary suspension in light of an impending indictment for sexual assault, including rape, and other charges. On that same day, 30 MKs signed a petition calling for the president's dismissal in light of his refusal to step down from his post immediately.
A majority of 19 out of 25 is required for passing a House Committee resolution to dismiss Katsav. Once approved, the motion to dismiss the president would be brought before the Knesset, and a 90-MK majority (two-thirds of seats in parliament) is required to make the dismissal effective.
Katsav, on his part, appeared for work at his President's Residence chamber despite announcing his temporary incapacitation, Israel Radio reported on Monday.
MK Michael Eitan (Likud) who objects dismissal at this point, called on MK Zehava Gal-On (Meretz-Yachad) "don't be 'guillotine' Zehava." Eitan refused to take his comment back even after he was asked to do so by several committee members. "This is a parliamentary expression," he said, and Gal-On said in response "it is a disgrace."
Gal-On, along with MKs Nadia Hilou (Labor) and Limor Livnat (Likud) pushed for as rapid procedure as possible for the dismissal of Katsav.
Several committee members blasted the Knesset legal adviser Nurit Elshtein for having failed to inform them that the president is free to return from his self-declared suspension anytime he wishes, without requiring the Knesset's approval.
MK Zvi Hendel (National Union-National Religious Party) even called to dismiss Elshtein from her position.
Elshtein, who did not attend the meeting, did not respond but attorney Arbel Estrakhan of the Knesset legal department said that committee chairman MK Ruhama Avraham (Kadima) had already mentioned this on Thursday.
MK Eitan, who leads the opposition to the president's dismissal, said that the procedure must be fair because as long as Katsav has not been indicted he is held to be innocent. Eitan also demanded that those supporting the motion to dismiss Katsav present the committee with detailed explanations.
According to Eitan, even 120 Knesset members cannot dismiss Katsav if they are unable to prove that his conduct has been inadequate.
MK Galon said that "the committee has become the president's hostage. What must guide us now is the wish to remove the blemish and therefore procedures must be sped up to bring the president's tenure to an end."
Elshtein is at odds with some of the committee members over the duration of the dismissal process. Elshtein proposes to allow the president's attorneys two weeks to prepare for their appearance before the committee.
By contrast, Gal-On wants to give them only 48 hours for preparation. MK Dov Khenin (Hadash) has suggested that the debate on Katsav's dismissal begin within a week and that the Knesset plenum should begin discussing the issue as soon as the House Committee finishes addressing it; he said there is no reason to prolong the discussion on the subject.
Hilou has said that she and 30 other parliamentarians would not agree for Katsav to remain any longer at the President's Residence. According to Hilou, Katsav is reserved the right to prove his innocence like any other citizen, but he took advantage of the media's attention in order to accuse Israeli law enforcement authorities.
MK Shelly Yachimovich (Labor) said that the Knesset must spare Israelis the shame and not allow Katsav to remain in the President's Residence any longer.
The hearing of President Moshe Katsav, who is accused of rape and breach of trust, is expected to take place within two months, sooner than was previously thought.
The reason for the earlier date is that while previously it was thought that there were many crates' worth of evidentiary materials, they actually fill just 30 binders.
Prosecutor Irit Baumhorn and Katsav lawyer Zion Amir agreed on Sunday that the eight crates of binders containing witnesses' testimony and other evidence, as well as the draft indictment, would be brought to Katsav's attorneys on Monday morning so they can prepare for the hearing.
Meanwhile, Knesset director general Avi Balashnikov met on Sunday with Moshe Goral, his counterpart at the President's Residence, as well as Katsav's advisers to discuss work procedures during the three months in which the president has declared himself to be incapable of fulfilling his duties. They discussed the issues of presidential pardons and also the kidnapped Israeli soldiers.