PROSECUTORS IN the rape trial against former Israeli president Moshe Katsav say he saw women employees as “a pool of sexual objects”.
They accused him of exploiting his position , first as a minister and then as president, while simultaneously exploiting the obligation of these women to be near him and obey him in order to fulfil their work duties.
“During their time with him, the accused harassed his female workers sexually with differing degrees of severity, including rape,” the prosecution wrote.
The trial of Mr Katsav (64), who was charged with two counts of rape and one of sexual assault, ended in June, and the verdict is expected in September or October.
The proceedings were held behind closed doors in order to protect the identities of the alleged victims, even though the trial generated intense public interest.
Yesterday, the Tel Aviv district court released for publication the prosecution and defence summaries.
The prosecution claimed the complainants feared that if they resisted, it could jeopardise their jobs, and that the exposure of the events would take a heavy emotional toll.
The defence summary raised concerns that their client did not get a fair trial due to the extremely negative image of Mr Katsav portrayed in the Israeli media.
“Is it possible to treat the accused justly in court; is it possible to look at the proof without prejudice and reach the obvious conclusions?” the defence asked. “Is there not an ocean of hatred between us and the honourable judges, destructive words that spread throughout the media that reached the court?”
Defence lawyers accused the prosecution, faced with a lack of solid evidence, of trying to turn Mr Katsav into a monster akin to a character from a Brothers Grimm fairy tale.
Mr Katsav, a father of five, was forced to step down as president in June 2007.
He was charged with two counts of rape and one of sexual assault, against a woman referred to as Tourism Ministry A, between 1996 and 1999, during the period when he served as Israel’s minister for tourism.
According to the indictment, in April 1998, following an event in Tel Aviv, the defendant returned with A to the office claiming he had forgotten something there, and raped her.
He was also accused of sexual harassment by his secretary at the president’s office, of indecent assault and sexual harassment of another woman who worked with him during his presidential term, and of harassing a witness.
He denies the charges.