Politicsמשה קצב

Moshe Katsav

Moshe Katsav is an Israeli former politician who was the President of Israel from 2000 to 2007 and was later convicted of rape.

born 1945President of Israel, 2000 to 2007Likud minister and Knesset memberConviction for rape

Born: 5 December 1945, Yazd
Occupation: politician
Party: Likud
Education: Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Ben Shemen Youth Village

Moshe Katsav was born in 1945 in Yazd

Moshe Katsav was born in 1945 in Yazd, Iran, to Shmuel and Gohar Qassab, a Persian Jewish family. The family moved to Tehran when he was a baby and immigrated to Israel in 1951. They lived in an immigrant camp that later became the town of Kiryat Malakhi.

He was drafted into the IDF in 1964. He then studied economics and history at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and earned his degree in 1971. He married Gila in 1969, and they have 5 children.

Katsav was head of the Kiryat Malakhi council until 1981. He entered the Knesset for Likud in 1977. He served as Minister of Labor and Welfare, Minister of Transportation, and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism.

In 2000 the Knesset elected him president over Shimon Peres, by 63 votes to 57. He was the first Likud member to hold the office.

In 2006 women who had worked under him accused him of sexual offenses. He resigned in 2007 under a plea bargain, which he later rejected. In 2010 a court convicted him of rape and other charges, he was sentenced to 7 years in 2011, and he was released in 2016.

Moshe Katsav's life in 10 milestones

1945
Born in Yazd, Iran.
1951
Immigrated to Israel with his family.
1964
Drafted into the IDF.
1977
Elected to the Knesset for Likud.
1996
Became Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism.
2000
Elected President of Israel by the Knesset.
2007
Resigned the presidency under a plea bargain.
2010
Convicted of rape and other charges.
2011
The Supreme Court upheld his conviction and sentence.
2016
Released from prison under restrictive conditions.

Moshe Katsav held 3 offices between 1977 and 2007

1945today

Knesset member 1977 to 2000
Deputy Prime Minister of Israel 1996 to 1999
President of Israel 2000 to 2007

Moshe Katsav served in the military

Katsav was drafted in 1964 and served in the Signal Corps. As a reservist he fought in the Six-Day War and in the Yom Kippur War with Brigade 217, crossing the Suez Canal.