Israeli President resigns as part of deal

By Xinhua

Jerusalem : Israeli President Moshe Katsav submitted his resignation Friday, a day after agreeing to plead guilty to sexual harassment, forcible indecent assault and harassing a witness, as part of a plea bargain, local media reported.


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The resignation letter was sent with a messenger to the Knesset (Parliament) Speaker Dalia Itzik, local daily Yedioth Ahronoth said Friday.

The resignation will go into effect Sunday morning, at which point Itzik will become acting president until President-elect Shimon Peres is appointed in mid July.

Also on Sunday, the prosecution is expected to present the amended indictment against Katsav to the Jerusalem Magistrate's Court.

According to the plea agreement between the State Prosecutor's Office and Katsav, the outgoing president will be charged for indecent acts, pay the victims compensations but not be imprisoned, Israeli Attorney General Menachem Mazuz said Thursday.

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