Guilty as Charged?

The news is full of talk about Former President Moshe Katsav's breaking his plea agreement and the culpability of the media in this saga. It inspired me to write the following:

OPEN LETTER TO MR. MOSHE KATSAV, FORMER PRESIDENT OF ISRAEL

First, I want to say that I have believed you to be innocent of these charges from the very beginning. All of the Jews in Israel understand well how this system works. Peres coveted your position and had his minions go about getting it for him in the usual way. They want corrupt politicians in office because it makes it easier to blackmail them, but if there is an honest man, that detail won't stand in their way. They will just invent a crime.

While I believe you are innocent of the crime for which you are accused, I believe that you are suffering this disgrace because of another crime---a crime against Heaven. You are guilty of the public desecration of Hashem's name while you held your high office and so you were removed and you are being disgraced as you have disgraced your Maker. Here is the proof:

Pres Katsav in a letter to the Pope, 10 Apr 2002:(INN) "The State of Israel has the highest esteem for all religious communities within its borders. Therefore, in the current context, all members of the Israel Defense Forces have been ordered not to fire upon or violate the sanctity of church property."

Pres Katsav on Illegal Orders, 25 Oct 2002:
(INN) "Speaking to Israel Radio this morning, President Moshe Katsav explained that soldiers are compelled to carryout all orders unless they are "illegal orders from the onset". He further explained that evacuating of a Yesha encampment or the desecration of the Sabbath do not constitute illegal orders."

Q&A with Pres Katsav, 17 April 2001:
(JPost) "I don't see Palestinian autonomy as a danger to Israel's existence. We have no interest in returning and conquering Gaza.

... For the first time in history, there is in Jerusalem, freedom of religion, a total freedom, for all religions, thanks to Israeli rule since 1967. To my sorrow, the Moslem Wakf is destroying archeological remains on the Temple Mount. To prevent any escalation in tensions, we let this go by. I believe that its possible to find a formula for honorable coexistence for Jews and Moslems on the Temple Mount, just as we found in the Machpela Cave in Hebron, which is also holy to Jews and Moslems.

I'm a religious person. But my religious beliefs are my private, intimate domain, and they don't have an effect on my work as president. I believe in the saying "each to his own beliefs" and I respect all individuals as individuals. ...other citizens of Israel with other religions, have the right to live here in total freedom, there is equality of rights for all by law, and this is true for Christians and Moslems.

Katsav promises protection for Muslim holy places, 27 July 2004:(JPost) "President Moshe Katsav has come out sharply against any real or imaginary plan to blow up the Temple Mount.

Speaking at Beit Hanassi on Tuesday at the signing ceremony of the Covenant of Brothers, Katsav said that anyone contemplating such a measure is acting in contradiction to the laws of Judaism. ..."I promise you in the name of the State of Israel and in the name of the Jewish religion that we will vigilantly protect all the Muslim holy places," he pledged.

Katsav: I'll put my life on the line for Al Aksa mosque
Jerusalem Post May 14, 2001
..."I swear to you, there is not even a shred of an idea among Israel's leadership to insult Islam's holy places in any form or manner.

"I will put my life on the line in order to protect the holiness of the Al Aksa mosque, at any price, under any condition," Katsav said.

The only remedy for you, Mr. Katsav, is teshuva and a public apology to the People of Israel whom you MIS-represented and to HASHEM, whose Name you desecrated with these false, anti-Torah statements.

I wish you hatzlacha raba,