Six lawmakers have announced that they will boycott the opening of the winter session of the Knesset next week, if President Moshe Katsav, who is under investigation over alleged sexual assault and other offenses, decides to attend.

Katsav has yet to announce if he will take part in the session.

According to a survey taken by the Knesset Channel cable television station, 70 of the 120 members of the house have said that they will attend.

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Another 30 said they have not decided whether or not to take part.

The six who said they plan to boycott are Nadia Hilo and Yoram Marciano of Labor, Aryeh Eldad (National Union ? National Religious Party), Ruhama Avraham (Kadima), Zehava Gal-On (Meretz) and Yaakov Margi (Shas).

Labor MK Shelly Yachimovich has asked the party's Knesset faction chairman, MK Ephraim Sneh, to convene Labior legislators for a discussion on the issue of Katsav's possible attendance and the proposed boycott.

"The presence of a president suspected of serious sexual offenses is intolerable, and, beyond the planned protests of the members of Knesset, it is proper that the faction as a whole have its say," Yachimovich said.

Police refrain from recommendation
The police handed information regarding Katsav's alleged sexual harassment of a former employee to the state prosecutor on Monday but have refrained from giving a recommendation on whether to indict him.

Senior officers said they were waiting until the investigation is complete to hand down the recommendation. Investigators say they still have to hear the testimony of a few witnesses before handing in the recommendation next week.

The investigators have presented evidence that could be the foundation of a case against Katsav on charges of sexual offenses, including rape, irregularities in the granting of pardons, and wiretapping.