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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Israel president makes plea deal | Israel president makes plea deal |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Israel's President Moshe Katsav has agreed a plea bargain to avoid rape charges and a prison term, the country's attorney general has said. | Israel's President Moshe Katsav has agreed a plea bargain to avoid rape charges and a prison term, the country's attorney general has said. |
| Mr Katsav had been facing allegations of rape and sexual harassment against women who worked for him. | Mr Katsav had been facing allegations of rape and sexual harassment against women who worked for him. |
| He is now expected to get a suspended sentence for sexual harassment and be asked to pay damages to his accusers. | He is now expected to get a suspended sentence for sexual harassment and be asked to pay damages to his accusers. |
| Mr Katsav's current term ends in July but he will now resign immediately, to be succeeded by Shimon Peres. | Mr Katsav's current term ends in July but he will now resign immediately, to be succeeded by Shimon Peres. |
| Mr Peres was elected earlier this month to be the next president, a largely ceremonial position. | Mr Peres was elected earlier this month to be the next president, a largely ceremonial position. |
| Old accusations | |
| Attorney General Menachem Mazuz told a news conference that Mr Katsav would plead guilty to, among other things, one count of indecent assault, describing it as a "serious criminal charge". | |
| "Under the bargain, President Katsav admitted responsibility for a long series of sex offences, including harassment and indecent acts," he said. | |
| Most of the allegations against Mr Katsav dated from years ago and were difficult to prove, Mr Mazuz said. | |
| Rape convictions in Israel carry a maximum sentence of 16 years in prison. | |
| Mr Katsav currently retains immunity from prosecution. This lapses after the end of his seven-year term in July. | Mr Katsav currently retains immunity from prosecution. This lapses after the end of his seven-year term in July. |
| Reports said he would submit his resignation to Dalia Itzik, speaker of the Knesset, Israel's parliament, later on Thursday. | |
| His resignation would come into effect 48 hours later. |