Netanyahu on Katsav ruling: Court underscores equality before the law

The prime minister said the court showed that nobody is above the law, not even a former president, and "this distinguishes the State of Israel to a very large degree."

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu referred to the decision to sentence former president Moshe Katsav to seven years in jail in a speech this morning, saying, "The court issued a sharp and unequivocal ruling on a simple principle, that of equality before the law; nobody is above the law, not even a former president, all are subject to the law. This distinguishes the State of Israel to a very large degree.

" The second aspect that the court ruled on today is equality between men and women. Every woman has the right to her body, the right to respect and freedom, and nobody has the right to take these from her. This also distinguishes the State of Israel to a very large degree. Therefore, it would be worth remembering sometimes that when we look around us and see how different our state is - a bastion of democracy, human rights and individual rights, and a bastion of the rule of law."

Katsav, who had been convicted of several crimes, including rape, was sentenced this morning. Katsav was sentenced to seven years in jail, three years probation, and was ordered to pay NIS 100,000 in compensation to complainant A, and NIS 25,000 to complainant B.

Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on March 22, 2011

© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2011

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