Israeli President Asks to Briefly Step Aside

Summary

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JERUSALEM -- Israeli President Moshe Katsav, facing charges of rape and abuse of power, asked parliament Wednesday to temporarily remove him from office in an effort to blunt growing calls for his resignation, including one from the prime minister.

At a stormy, emotional news conference at his official residence, Katsav blamed Israeli media for his plight, using terms like "witch hunt," "McCarthyism" and "persecution." He shouted at a local TV reporter, pounding on the podium and gesturing angrily during a rambling diatribe that lasted nearly an hour.

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Israeli President Asks to Briefly Step Aside

The president has been under intense pressure to quit since Attorney-General Meni Mazuz notified him Tuesday that he planned to indict him after a monthslong investigation into allegations b...

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