BBC NEWS | Middle East | Israel upholds Katsav plea dealIsrael upholds Katsav plea dealIsrael's Supreme Court has upheld a controversial plea bargain that allows ex-President Moshe Katsav to escape rape charges and possible jail.
Mr Katsav escapes rape charges and pleads guilty to harassmentUnder the terms of the deal which Mr Katsav made with the Attorney General, he will not be charged with rape.
Instead, he pleads guilty to two charges of sexual harassment and will receive a suspended sentence.
Allegations of rape and sexual harassment were made by four women who had worked for the former president.
Women's rights have led the protests against the attorney general's decision to drop rape charges against Mr Katsav.
A panel of five judges voted by three to two to reject petitions from six individuals and organisations to overturn the plea bargain made in June last year.
Originally, the police charged Moshe Katsav with rape, sexual harassment and abuse of power.
Part of the controversial deal was for Moshe Katsav to step down as president of Israel, a largely ceremonial role.
He will also have to pay damages to his accusers.
Rape convictions in Israel carry a maximum sentence of 16 years in prison.
p.s. I wonder if he had been a poor man, or god forbid, a poor pakistani or a muslim for that matter instead of a powerful Israeli, would the court have ruled out the same verdict? Sometimes I really wonder, these nations that our are gods when it comes to social values, like equality, justice, welfare states: Are they really upto their task, or is it the case "Everything that shines, isn't gold"
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