Click Here: <A HREF="http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/middle_east/newsid_767000/767284. stm">BBC News | MIDDLE EAST | Scandal-dogged politic…</A> ----- The BBC's John Leyne "Faith in the political system has never been lower" real 28k Sunday, 28 May, 2000, 09:47 GMT 10:47 UK Scandal-dogged politicians quit Mr Mordechai: Charged with three counts of sexual assault Israeli Deputy Premier Yitzhak Mordechai has resigned after being charged with sexually assaulting three women. The announcement came hours after President Ezer Weizman - who has been beset by fraud allegations - said he would step down three years early. Investigators last week concluded there was insufficient evidence to press charges against President Weizman but said his behaviour raised serious moral questions. Both men leave their jobs maintaining their innocence. Mr Mordechai, the first Israeli minister in history to face sex charges, sent a letter of resignation to Prime Minister Ehud Barak which was read out at Sunday's cabinet meeting, the premier's office said. In his letter, Mr Mordechai, who was also transport minister, said "force of circumstances" had obliged him to resign. He will continue to serve as a member of the Knesset, but has also resigned from the leadership of the Centre Party, said a spokesman, who added that Mr Mordechai would not try to prevent his parliamentary immunity from being lifted. Top-level sleaze His departure is expected to hamper Mr Barak's efforts to pull together his coalition, currently at loggerheads over the prime minister's peace policies. Mr Weizman had been dogged by fraud allegations The Justice Ministry had announced on Thursday that charges would be pressed against Mr Mordechai, a former defence minister and highly-decorated army officer. He has been accused by a former employee and two other women of making unwanted sexual advances against them. The cases involving Mr Mordechai and Mr Weizman are the latest in a string of sleaze scandals that have shaken the top ranks of power in Israel in recent months. Mr Barak's election fund-raising activities have also been under investigation, along with alleged fraud and corruption by his predecessor, Mr Netanyahu and his wife Sara. Peace architect Earlier on Sunday, a spokesman announced that President Ezer Weizman would leave office on 10 July, three years before the end of his second term. Mr Weizman, an architect of Israel's 1979 peace treaty with Egypt, narrowly avoided court proceedings last week for alleged corruption and tax fraud. Under pressure from critics and blaming poor health, he had repeatedly said he wanted to quit ahead of schedule. He had also said he would delay the announcement of his departure to await the legal outcome of the allegations rather than leave quickly and give the impression of guilt. On Wednesday, investigators concluded after a three-month inquiry that there was not enough evidence to charge him. The three-month investigation focused on whether Mr Weizman, 75, had failed to declare large cash gifts to the tax authorities and whether he was guilty of corruption for accepting them while a minister in the 1980s. ----- Aloha, He'Ping, Om, Shalom, Salaam. Em Hotep, Peace Be, All My Relations. Omnia Bona Bonis, Adieu, Adios, Aloha. Amen. Roads End <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/">www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance—not soap-boxing—please! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'—with its many half-truths, misdirections and outright frauds—is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRL gives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://home.ease.lsoft.com/archives/CTRL.html <A HREF="http://home.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html">Archives of [EMAIL PROTECTED]</A> http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ <A HREF="http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/">ctrl</A> ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
