In 2006, allegations of rape and sexual harassment surfaced against Moshe Katsav, the incumbent president of Israel. Criminal charges were investigated, but indictments could not be filed due to the presidency holding sovereign immunity. An effort to impeach Katsav did not succeed. On 28 June 2007, Katsav reached a plea bargain which included his early resignation from office. He left office on 1 July 2007. The plea bargain was ultimately abandoned, and Katsav faced trial. On 30 December 2010, Katsav was found guilty of "rape, sexual harassment, committing an indecent act while using force, harassing a witness and obstruction of justice", and was sentenced to seven years in prison and two years' probation. He was the first former president of Israel to be sentenced to prison. His prison sentence began on 7 December 2011. On 18 December 2016, a parole board granted him early release from prison.

Complaints, investigation In July 2006, Katsav complained to the Attorney General of Israel, Menachem Mazuz, that a female employee was blackmailing him. The investigation quickly turned against Katsav as the employee, referred to as A. (later identified as Orly Revivo), alleged sexual offenses. A, who worked with Katsav when he was Minister of Tourism, claimed that Katsav raped her twice and sexually harassed her in various other ways. Katsav was accused of raping and sexually harassing up to ten women. Police raided his house and seized computers and documents on 22 August. There were calls for him to resign or suspend himself from the presidency.Police question Katsav; evidence said 'dramatic' Haaretz, 23 August 2006 Katsav was questioned under caution on 23 August.Police question Israeli President over sex allegations The Times, 23 August 2006

On 7 September, receiving complaints from at least four different women (according to IBA's correspondent for police affairs), the Israel Police determined that they had enough evidence for an indictment. Amid this news breaking, Katsav did not attend the ceremonial swearing-in Dorit Beinisch as President of the Israeli Supreme Court.Today in the news Israel Broadcasting Authority, 7 September 2006 On 13 September, the Knesset House Committee approved Katsav's request for leave of absence. The ceremony, normally held at the president's house, was moved to the Knesset.

Police said that seven women had testified against Katsav and the allegations included "breach of trust, fraud, and involvement in illegal wiretapping.""Katsav allegations include wiretapping" The Jerusalem Post, 14 September 2006 On 18 September, Attorney-General Mazuz stated that the likelihood of Katsav being the victim of a plot was "fairly slim.""Mazuz says Katsav was not made victim of libel", Jerusalem Post, 18 September 2006"Katzav's investigation is at completion stages" , Haaretz, 19 September 2006 By 21 September, the number of complaints rose to eight."Eighth allegation of sexual assault filed against Katsav", Haaretz, 21 September 2006

On 15 October 2006, police said the complaints of five of the women would not be pursued because the statute of limitations had run out."Rape Charge Advised Vs. Israel President", The Washington Post, 15 October 2006 On 29 October, Attorney-General Menachem Mazuz advised Katsav to step down. While denying the allegations, he said he would resign if indicted."President must 'step down'". Sky News, 29 October 2006"Israeli president to be charged with rape", NBC News, 23 January 2007

Suspension of criminal proceedings, attempted impeachment On 23 January 2007, Attorney-General Mazuz announced that he would consider charging Katsav with rape, sexual harassment, breach of trust, obstruction of justice, harassment of a witness and fraud. The president is immune from prosecution while in office and could only be tried after the end of his term in August 2007 or after his resignation. The final decision on indictment would be made after a hearing where Katsav could present his case.

On 24 January 2007, Katsav held a press conference where he accused journalists of persecuting and judging him before all the evidence was in. He claimed that the media were hostile to his presidency from the start.'Comment: Katsav's rending battle cry', Jerusalem Post, 25 January 2007 He accused Channel 2 of conducting a witch-hunt. Katsav declared his intention to suspend himself temporarily but refused to step down unless indicted. The speech drew shock and condemnation from journalists, politicians, and legal figures."Israeli law professors shocked by Katsav speech" , Malaysia Sun, 25 January 2007 In a talk scheduled minutes after Katsav's speech, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert called on him to resign from the presidency.

Katsav took a three-month leave of absence approved by the Knesset on 25 January. Knesset Speaker Dalia Itzik assumed the office of president in the interim in a "caretaker" capacity.Dalia Itzik becomes acting president Jerusalem Post, 25 January 2007

On 7 March 2007, an attempt to impeach Katsav failed.President Katsav escapes impeachment over likely rape charges Haaretz, 7 March 2007

In March 2009, Katsav's brother Lior said the decision to indict Katsav was tantamount to a "blood libel".

Plea bargain, resignation from office, indictment On 28 June 2007, Katsav's lawyers reached a plea bargain in which Katsav would plead guilty to several counts of sexual harassment and indecent acts and receive a suspended jail sentence. He would pay compensation to two of the victims. The rape charges brought by A. would be dropped, as well as Katsav's charges of blackmail. This led to a public outcry, particularly from women's rights organizations. Opinion polls showed that 70 percent of the public objected to the deal.Women's Coalition: Our intifada has begun Ynet, 30 June 2007 A protest at Rabin Square in Tel Aviv drew a large crowd. The Attorney-General claimed the agreement would spare the humiliation of the presidency. Katsav's attorneys said they agreed to avoid an arduous trial.President Katsav of Israel to plead guilty to sex crimes but avoid jail International Herald Tribune, 28 June 2007

Per the plea bargain, Katsav resigned from office effective on 1 July 2007 (his seven-year term was scheduled to run out constitutionally on 15 July 2007).

On 30 October 2007, the state prosecutor told the High Court of Justice that it had changed its mind about the indictment based on evidence from the two key complainants. The prosecution cited a meeting with Katsav's attorneys that highlighted contradictions in their testimony, including an affectionate letter from one of the complainants after the two rapes allegedly occurred. The move garnered harsh criticism from the complainants' attorneys. Katsav called off the plea bargain in April 2008. According to one of his lawyers, Avigdor Feldman, he believed the prosecution did not have enough evidence to convict him.

Trial In March 2009, Katsav was formally indicted for rape and other sexual offenses in the Tel Aviv District Court. His trial took place between August 2009 and June 2010 before a panel of three judges, consisting of Presiding Judge George Karra and Justices Miriam Sokolov and Yehudit Shevach.Former Israeli president goes on trial on rape charges irishtimes.com, 1 September 2009 Katsav's testimony began in January 2010.Unjustified blackout Haaretz, 12 January 2010 The prosecutors were Ronit Amiel and Nissim Merom, of the State Prosecutor's Office Central District Office. Katsav's defense team consisted of attorneys Zion Amir, Avigdor Feldman, and Avraham Lavi. The trial was held behind closed doors (as is customary in trials of sexual offenses) and a media ban was imposed on the details of the trial, witnesses and testimony. The ban was lifted in August 2010 when trial protocols were released.

Without forensic evidence, prosecutors built their case almost entirely on witness testimony. According to legal experts, the similarities in the testimonies of the victims, who could not have known one another, would be instrumental in his conviction.

Conviction On 30 December 2010, the three judges unanimously found Katsav guilty of "rape, sexual harassment, committing an indecent act while using force, harassing a witness and obstruction of justice". Presiding Judge Karra read the verdict which stated that Katsav "engaged in a campaign of vilification against the plaintiffs." Katsav faced a maximum sentence of 49 years. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that it was "a sad day for Israel", but that the verdict shows that in Israel "all are equal before the law, and that every woman has exclusive rights to her body." The conviction was described as "landmark" and "unprecedented", and the story featured prominently in the international media. The sentencing phase began on 22 February 2011.

On 22 March 2011, Moshe Katsav was sentenced to seven years in prison and two years' probation for rape, indecent acts, sexual harassment and obstruction of justice, becoming the first former President of Israel to be sentenced to prison. In addition, he was ordered to pay one of the women compensation totaling 100,000 NIS and another a sum of 25,000 NIS.Ynet News: Moshe Katsav sentenced to 7 years in prison ynetnews.com, 22 March 2011 Katsav's lawyer Zion Amir told reporters that the sentence would be appealed to the Supreme Court of Israel.

In July 2011, it was cleared for publication that Katsav was under police investigation on suspicion of using private investigators to harass witnesses and a complainant. Police suspected the investigators were trying to obtain new evidence to undermine their credibility. It was thought that Katsav hired the investigators after he was found guilty and before the Supreme Court appeal was filed. Katsav, his brothers Lior and Yoram, and his son Noam were questioned for an hour by National Fraud Investigations Unit officers on suspicion of witness harassment, tampering, and invasion of privacy.

In May 2011, Supreme Court Justice Yoram Danziger granted Katsav's motion to delay his entrance to prison until the Supreme Court heard his appeal. Deliberations on the appeal began on 7 August 2011 and were conducted by a three-judge panel consisting of Justices Edna Arbel, Miriam Naor, and Salim Joubran. Katsav's attorney suggested that his client was sexually involved with one of the alleged victims, but no rape occurred. He also suggested that the plaintiffs' testimonies were filled with contradictions. When deliberations resumed on 10 August, Katsav's attorney suggested that his client's actions did not constitute anything beyond "an ordinary hug". Deliberations on the appeal adjourned on 11 August. The court delivered its opinion on 10 November, unanimously upholding Katsav's conviction and sentence. The three-judge panel stated that they refrained from assessing the truth of the statements made by the accusers and otherwise rejected possibly exculpatory evidence. Justice Salim Joubran stated that Katsav "fell from the loftiest heights to the deepest depths. Such a senior official should be a role model to his subordinates. Every woman has a right to her own body. A right to dignity. A right to freedom. No one has the liberty to take any of those from her". Katsav was given until 7 December to put his affairs in order.

Prison term