Attorney General Menachem Mazuz will inform the High Court of Justice that he refuses to reconsider his plea bargain with former president Moshe Katsav, who is suspected of sex crimes, legal sources told Haaretz on Monday.

The court issued a show-cause order last month requiring Mazuz to defend the deal, following several petitions demanding harsher terms for Katsav. The former president had agreed to plead guilty to sexual harassment, forcible indecent assault and harassing a witness as part of a plea bargain that struck rape charges from the indictment and gave him a suspended sentence only.

The sources said that Mazuz will submit his response early next month, as will Katsav's attorneys. After the court receives both briefs, the petitioners will be given opportunity to respond to them. The court will then review the material before deciding whether to allow the bargain.