Moshe Katsav

Biographical Overview & Key Facts

Subject:

Moshe Katsav

Role / Field:

Israeli politician who served as President from 2000 to 2007; convicted of crimes.

Born:

1945-12-05

Century / Era:

1945s Historical Era

Database Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Wikipedia CC BY-SA 4.0

Origins & Early Life

Moshe Katsav (Hebrew: מֹשֶׁה קַצָּב; born Musa Qassab; Persian: موسى قصاب; 5 December 1945) is an Israeli former politician who was the president of Israel from 2000 to 2007. He was also a leading Likud member of the Israeli Knesset and a minister in its cabinet. He was the first Mizrahi Jew to be elected to the presidency, and second non-Ashkenazi president after Yitzhak Navon. He is also the only ex-Israeli president to have been convicted of a crime. The end of his presidency was marked by controversy, stemming from allegations of rape of one female subordinate and sexual harassment of others.

Career & Major Achievements

Katsav resigned from the presidency in 2007 as part of a plea bargain. Katsav later rejected the deal with prosecutors and vowed he would prove his innocence in court. In an unprecedented case, on 30 December 2010, Katsav was convicted of two counts of rape, obstruction of justice, and other charges. On 22 March 2011, in a landmark ruling, Katsav was sentenced to seven years in prison. Katsav appealed his conviction to the Supreme Court of Israel.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

On 10 November 2011, the Supreme Court affirmed Katsav's conviction and punishment. On 7 December 2011, Katsav arrived at Maasiyahu Prison in Ramla to begin serving his seven-year sentence. He was released under restrictive conditions on 21 December 2016, having served five years of his sentence. Moshe Katsav was born Musa Qassab (Persian: موسى قصاب) in Yazd, Iran, to Persian Jewish parents, Shmuel and Gohar (née Alon) Qassab. His family moved to Tehran when he was a baby, and they emigrated to Israel in 1951.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1945 (1945-12-05): Birth of Moshe Katsav — Israeli politician who served as President from 2000 to 2007; convicted of crimes.
2. 1951: 1951 Milestone — His family moved to Tehran when he was a baby, and they emigrated to Israel in 1951.
3. 2007: 2007 Milestone — Katsav resigned from the presidency in 2007 as part of a plea bargain.
4. 2010: 2010 Milestone — In an unprecedented case, on 30 December 2010, Katsav was convicted of two counts of rape, obstruction of justice, and other charges.
5. 2011: 2011 Milestone — On 22 March 2011, in a landmark ruling, Katsav was sentenced to seven years in prison.
6. 2016: 2016 Milestone — He was released under restrictive conditions on 21 December 2016, having served five years of his sentence.

Notable Quotes by Moshe Katsav

“I will prove my innocence in court.”

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Moshe Katsav

True or False: “Moshe Katsav was the first Israeli president to be elected through a unanimous vote by the Knesset.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): He won with 63 votes, which was more than the required majority of 61, but it was not a unanimous decision.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

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• 1945 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1945
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Frequently Asked Questions about Moshe Katsav