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Inside Israel

Israeli media successfully lynch their president


By Stan Goodenough
January 25, 2007

The Israeli parliament (Knesset) voted Thursday to accept State President Moshe Katsav’s request that he be suspended from his position for three months, or until he has been given a hearing by the attorney-general.

The president is charged with a number of sexual offenses, including rape.

On Wednesday evening, after keeping his cool for weeks as accusations and condemnations were leveled against him, Katsav erupted in fury at a press conference in his official residence.

Among other things, he accused the media and the police of collaborating in a smear campaign against him.

The media lashed back, but the well-oiled and stinging response of some journalists contrasted sharply with what was expressed by many ordinary Israelis.

Following his outburst, the switchboard at Beit Hanassi (President’s Residence) recorded an unprecedented public outpouring of support and compassion for Katsav.

Many in Israel believe that, instead of according him the rights due any suspect – that he be regarded as innocent unless and until proven otherwise – the nation’s overwhelmingly leftist media has waged a vicious campaign against him, trying to convince the country that he is guilty as charged.

For months Katsav, formerly a Likud Party member, was denigrated in the print and electronic media.

Journalists, whose own lifestyles and television stations frequently promote and encourage precisely the type of immorality the president stands accused of, hypocritically and effusively expressed their disgust at his alleged behavior.

The press trial did at times appear to have been carried out in collaboration with individuals or groups inside the Israeli police force.

As in other instances where right wing Israelis have been accused of wrongdoing, the media were alerted to make their way to the suspect’s residence before the police even arrived to begin questioning him.

Israelis today are expressing deep shame at the way their first citizen has apparently been behaving. But although individuals and one lone Knesset Member have remonstrated in defense of Katsav's rights, the nation as a whole appears numb and unable to respond to the way he has been treated by the media.

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