Last update - 00:00 28/06/2007
MK Gal-On: Katsav plea deal displays AG's moral cowardice
By Ruth Sinai, Haaretz Correspondent
In response to a plea agreement signed by outgoing president Moshe Katsav on Thursday, whereby he would not serve any jail time for serious sex crimes he has been accused of, MK Zahava Gal-On (Labor) said that the attorney general demonstrated moral cowardice in agreeing to such a lenient deal.
"Mazuz demonstrated moral cowardice and surrendered to the pressures of leaders and the slandered and defenseless victims of sexual violence will pay the price of this surrender and cowardice. This will prevent other women from reporting [sex crimes.]"
Gal-On proposed giving the victims of sex crimes a veto over plea bargains.
Under the plea agreement, the prosecution will request a suspended sentence for reduced charges against Katsav. The rape charges will be deleted from the indictment altogether.
Women belonging to the Association of Rape Crisis Centers in Israel are planning a demonstration in Tel Aviv on Saturday, to protest a plea bargain signed by outgoing president Moshe Katsav Thursday, whereby he will not serve any jail time for the numerous sexual crimes he has been accused of over the past year.
The women stated the plea agreement proves there is one law for Israel's leaders, and another for its citizens.
"In a state where an average citizen is indicted of rape, the president is only indicted of unconsensual sex," the association said.
The group continued: "The police investigation did not leave Katzav any options but to confess to being a sex criminal. His continued denial is shown today to be a complete web of lies that shames us all."
The rally will gather under the slogan "we will not abandon the victims." It will take place in Rabin Square in Tel Aviv Saturday evening.
Women's rights groups and political figures publicly expressed outrage Thursday in response to the lenient plea agreement.
Talia Livni, head of Na'amat, a leading women's rights organization, described the deal as "spitting in the face of women. It conveys a lack of confidence in the police and in the State Prosecutor's Office. This is an unequivocal message to women not to complain [about sexual violence.]"
Livni added that the female public would not allow Katzav's deal to be carried out.
MK Shelly Yacimovich (Labor) said Thursday that the "plea bargain greatly damages the public's faith in the rule of the law. From now on, every complainant and every person will fear that when they prosecute powerful people, justice will not be carried out. The attorney general deprived the accusers of voicing their complaints in court."
Meretz Chair Yossi Beilin called the deal "problematic, hard to understand and someone must take responsibility for it."
A system that raised the accusations against the number one citizen to such great heights, owes the public a convincing explanation to the fact that the indictment was replaced with such a surprising compromise. If explanations aren't provided, there is no doubt that someone in the justice system will be held accountable," Beilin added.
Rina Bar-Tal, chair of the Israel Women's Network, expressed hope Wednesday that Mazuz will reject the plea agreement.
"The plea bargain will send a grave message to the public by lessening the seriousness of sexual assault on a woman. This is likely to geopardize the long struggle for women's rights over their bodies, their freedom and their honor," Bar-Tal said.