By Dow Marmur
JERUSALEM — I normally don’t watch television at 9 a.m. but I made an exception this Thursday morning, because all TV and radio stations in Israel had live broadcasts of the reading of the verdict in the case of Moshe Katzav, Israel’s immediate past president. The judge found him guilty on all the three cases of sexual misconduct, including the rape of a woman who worked in his office when he was the minister of tourism, i.e., before he became president. The judge also established that he was lying in evidence and did what he could to subvert truth and justice.
The case has been going on for some four years and forced Katzav to leave his high office before his term was out. The investigation was complicated, inter alia because, as invariably in such cases, there were no witnesses and much time had elapsed between the deeds and the complaints.
With this in mind, a year or so ago prosecution and defense worked out a plea bargain that would let Katzav off lightly. Many in the country were outraged and protested. In the end he himself, in a characteristic but stupid gesture of bravado, refused to sign and chose to go to trial. The rapist and the liar may also be a fool.
Once again, the Israeli judiciary comes out well. The role of the media is, as usual, more problematic. First, Katzav was allowed to make frequent appearances claiming to have been framed, even treated as a victim, because he’s of Oriental background.
And, as one of the many commentators this morning on Israel TV Channel 1 reminded viewers, journalists knew about Katzav’s proclivities and record long before he became president but decided not to publicize it, perhaps out of fear of libel suits. Had his record been made public then, other victims who subsequently worked in his office would have been spared his violence (the judge’s term) and the country wouldn’t have to suffer the pain and embarrassment.
Also, the fact that Katzav became president when he did is an illustration of how rotten politics can be. Even then the present incumbent – Shimon Peres who has brought honour and glory to the country since he finally took office – was the natural choice but his political opponents contrived a situation that pushed Katzav to the fore. Yet another example of how cynical political manipulation causes damage to the country.
The fact that Katzav has now been pronounced guilty is a great relief to the many other rape victims in the country who have not dared to come forward as well as to the feminist movement that has tried to alert us to the problem in this macho culture: Katzav’s supporters continued to assert his innocence even after they heard the verdict.
Of course, this isn’t the end of the matter. No doubt the defense will appeal to the Supreme Court and probably only then will there be another hearing to determine the penalty. The Supreme Court will have to examine the lower court’s procedure in case it erred and then decide.
Does that mean that a former president of Israel will end his days in jail? In view of today’s verdict and the heavy punishment on the statute books for his crimes, that’s indeed most likely. But it’s the verdict more than the penalty that matters, for it proves that nobody is above the law in Israel and that, in the words of the judge, when a woman says no it is no.
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Rabbi Marmur is spiritual leader emeritus of Holy Blossom Temple in Toronto. He divides his year between Canada and Israel.