There have been so many newsworthy events here in Israel in recent weeks that I could rattle on ‘ad infinitum’ about everything from the collapse of the Labour party to the dispute with Lebanon over offshore gas reserves, but I prefer to focus on Moshe Katsav, former President of Israel and now a convicted rapist. 

It’s not the most regular occurrence for me be able to state that I am categorically and unequivocally proud of something that has happened here in Israel, but the whole process that led to the investigation, the trial, and the eventual conviction of the man who occupied the most respected position in the land, has been one that I believe is a shining example for the whole world, and I really mean, the whole world, to follow.

Katsav, a man who rose from abject poverty after his family was forced from Persia in the 1950’s, who lived in a tent during his early years in Israel, who became one of the youngest mayor’s in the country’s history when at the age of just 21 he was chosen to represent the people of the poor development town of Kiryat Malachi, who later rose to be chosen as a Member of the Knesset, a government minister, and then, the most prestigious and highly respected office of all, (far more so than that of Prime Minister), to be the President of the State of Israel, dishonoured the great office bestowed upon him. But, unlike most other men of power in the free and ‘not-so-free’ world, he has been brought to book for his crimes and he is going to pay heavily for his indiscretions.

People looking at Israel might easily jump to the conclusion that this is a corrupt, morally bankrupt society, so often are reports heard trumpeting the latest minster or even Prime Minister to be under investigation for corruption or other potentially prisonable offences. But maybe, before jumping on the bandwagon of ridiculing and berating Israel, they should pause for a moment to ask themselves two questions: 1) Do they honestly believe that politicians and men/or women of power in their particular country never commit acts of a criminal nature, and 2) do they honestly believe that the courts and judicial systems in their country are strong enough and, (most importantly), sufficiently independent of political influence to convict the highest person in the land?

Ask yourself that very question right now. And, before you answer it, think of all the politicians and people of power that are believed to have been up to no good, but who still haughtily go about their business with an ever-present air of righteous pomposity.

Let’s start with Israel’s immediate neighbours, the Arab States. Is their one Arab country you can name that genuinely has, or even comes close to having, an independent judiciary? I think we can take that as a resounding ‘no’, so let’s move on to Africa. Is there an African state where those guilty of bare-faced corruption don’t get away with their crimes? Even South Africa, seen as one of the most progressive of all countries on that continent in the post-Apartheid era, has a president whose record of personal conduct and dubious financial dealings leaves a stain on his nation’s reputation.

Try getting one of the top politicians in South America to face a judge free of political influence and you might well find yourself up against it. What about Europe? Well, Silvio Berlusconi is the obvious first port of call. Do you believe that the Italian judiciary has been free of political influence and is genuinely independent in investigating matters of massive financial irregularities and sexual misconduct on the part of the most powerful man in the country?

Last week the first of a likely stream of British MP’s and former MP’s was sent down for a stay at ‘Her Majesty’s Pleasure’ for his deception in the expanses scandal. At least the Brits have at last started dealing with such matters, but much worse deceptions have been pulled by British politicians over the years and been smoothed over before police and other investigative authorities could get a look in. It’s always been like that. More than a hundred years ago PM William Gladstone was extraordinarily brazen in his invitations to London prostitutes to visit No.10 Downing Street – via the front door and not the tradesmen’s entrance, (so to speak)! Nobody did anything about it, and meekly accepted the PM’s explanation that he was giving bible readings to the young ladies. Of course he was.

There have been so many ‘hushed up’ scandals involving major American politicians it’s hard to know where to start. The late Senator Edward Kennedy’s role in the death of Mary Jo Kopechne at Chappaquidick in 1969 - for which he amazingly received just a two-month suspended sentence - stands out amongst a number of distasteful acts by supremely powerful US politicians and men of power.  In defence of the US, presidents Richard Nixon, who was brought to book over the ‘Watergate Scandal’, and Bill Clinton, who lost all credibility over the Lewinsky affair, both as a result of rigorous reporting by the free US press, got their comeuppance (although the latter’s wasn’t a criminal act, just one of moral bankruptcy), but many other men of power have managed to get away scot free.

So back to Katsav, the first openly religious president of Israel, and now the first to be brought to book by his own judiciary for crimes against female staff and colleagues, as well as for the obstruction of justice. Back in April 2008, Katsav had the chance to accept a plea bargain which would have allowed him to only be charged with minor offences, but such was his belief that his influence and power was sufficient to ensure that he could not be found guilty, that, after advice from his own legal counsel, he rejected the deal.

The trial was a media sensation, even though it was conducted away from the glare of live transmissions. At the end of December 2010 the decision was unanimously reached by the three presiding judges that Katsav was guilty; guilty of rape, guilty of harassing a witness, guilty of sexual harassment, and guilty of forcibly committing an indecent act.

The pressure brought to bear on the three still publicly unidentified women who brought the charges against the former president can barely be imagined. They were very, very brave indeed. Women’s rights group were jubilant, social justice campaigners were ecstatic, and revealingly, the overwhelmingly majority of ordinary Israelis, (despite the shame he brought to the office of president), were pleased with the verdict as well. Even in this ridiculously macho society, Katsav’s peccadillo’s proved beyond the pale.

This trial would not have taken place in most countries of the world, not because they don’t have men like Katsav amongst their power brokers, but because the system wouldn’t allow it. And in those few countries that would have had the guts to try the holder of the highest office of power, very few, if any, would have overcome all the obstacles placed in their path over which the Israeli prosecutors eventually triumphed.

Although his successor Shimon Peres has done a great deal to recover the respect that deservedly should accompany the role, it is still terribly sad that Moshe Katsav brought the office of President of Israel into disrepute. Katsav’s conviction however, is a triumph for Israeli justice, a benchmark to which other nations should aspire, and something of which all Israeli people should be very proud.

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