The Katsav Dam Bursts

January 24, 2007 - 11:12 PM by Allison

I was in the minivan, on my way to pick up my 10-year-old from a birthday party in video arcade hell at the mall (yes, we have those in Israel, unfortunately) when I flipped on the radio for the news and heard President Katsav ranting and raving live about the injustice of it all, the evil police, the vindictive legal system, and of course, the slimy, slimy media and how all of them were out to get him, and how all three had conspired to create rape and sexual harassment charges out of thin air.

His voice cracked, it sounded like there might be a few tears, and even on the radio, you could hear him banging on the table. I was frustrated not to be watching it.

That was at about 7:15 PM, I think. When I got home, in between all the fuss of getting kids ready for bed, I made a mental note to switch on the television to catch the top of the news so I could see what he looked like. When I did, I couldn’t believe it….he was STILL talking live. How long did has this been going on?

(LATER — Ahhhh, I get it now! He wanted to make sure his speech ran long enough to completely upstage Prime Minister Olmert speaking at the Herziliya Conference at the same time, calling for his resignation…very clever. And apparently, when Olmert called for Katsav to quit, he got applause. First applause he’s heard in a long time.)

I can understand how he has a lot to say. This thing has been in the press for what — seven months — it broke before the Lebanon War this summer, and he’s stayed pretty much silent through the whole ordeal, through some incredibly nasty stories describing him as every secretary’s octopus boss from hell. He’s crying McCarthyism, he’s crying Dreyfus, he’s crying everything that will make us feel sorry for him.

His bottom line — he’ll take a leave of absence, but he’s not quitting: “I yield my immunity so an indictment can be filed against me, but the law does not demand I resign.”

If there is an indictment, he says, then he’ll resign.

What do the people think? Unscientifically, a Ynet poll found that 89 percent of the public wants him to resign now. Ynet also reports that the Education Minister wants to take his pictures down from public school walls.

I do feel a little sorry for him being indicted, tried, and convicted in the court of public opinion, before an indictment has even been handed down. But I find it hard to believe that they would hand down charges this serious against the president of Israel without some real evidence. And there’s so much smoke, there has to be some fire, so his song and dance about his wonderful perfect marriage ring pretty hollow.

Speaking for every Israeli parent, I’m for any solution that can get him off the front pages so I don’t have to discuss rape and sexual harassment every other week with my young children.

The Jerusalem Post has a nice chunk of his rant translated. As you can see, he’s playing the race card big-time.

“My friends and I have stood against a vile attack while my name and reputation have been dragged through the mud,” he said.

“I have refrained from responding…and even during these difficult days I do not intend to lower my head in humiliation. I will struggle with all my strength to clear my name,” said a president choked up by his tears.

“Citizens of Israel, don’t believe the accusations! There is one truth. I am the target of one of the worst hunts in the history of the State. Over the past few months an unprecedented brainwashing of the public has occurred. You’ve heard hair raising stories presented as truth by the media. I’ve survived because the truth stands with me,” said Katsav.

“This public trial at the hands of the media has prevented me from defending myself…my truth. None of you have seen any evidence. I promise you that no such evidence exists. No one has asked for my side, and you grabbed onto these stories as truth. No one, at any point, stopped to ask if these accusations are true.

Charging a smear campaign carried out by the media and using words such as “McCarthyism” and “persecution,” an enraged Katsav said, “No radio or television station has searched for the truth.” At one point Katsav attacked Channel 2′s anchorman Gadi Sukenik, saying, “Channel 2 has spilled my blood. The same Channel 2 that cancelled an interview with me because they preferred Muhammad Dahlan.

“Citizens of Israel, it is you who will be struck dumbfounded by the truth. The truth, no newspaper will be able to hide. I have never hurt any man or woman. I have always carried out my duties with honor.”

Katsav, who was born in Iran, implied that the charges against him were motivated by racism against Israelis of Middle Eastern origin, who had traditionally be marginalized by Jews of European heritage.

“I saw myself as a symbol for all those who are not part of the elite clique born with silver spoons in their mouths … who believe that only they can represent the people of Israel,” he said.

Yup, that’s the race card.

Oh, boy, how badly is it going to play if he gets pushed out of office and gets replaced by Shimon Peres. The uppity brown-skinned Persian is shamed and humiliated as the elite clique of Eastern European founding fathers returns to the top of the hill in the President’s mansion. It’s going to get ugly.

LATER: Two similar reactions. Lisa calls me up, “Lord, did you see how red-faced and embarrassed Katsav’s attorney’s were? They looked like they’d rather be anywhere else.”

At the same moment, columnist Nahum Barnea writes:

Two top attorneys, David Libai and Zion Amir, sat in a small room packed to the gills with cameras and microphones on Tuesday afternoon while squirming about uncomfortably in their seats. Both are experienced in defending lost cases but never before had they defended such an embarrassing case.

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