No indictment for Israeli President Weizman

No indictment for Israeli President Weizman
AGENCE FRANCE PRESS

JERUSALEM, APRIL 8: Israeli police has recommended that President Ezer Weizman not be prosecuted for accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars from a French millionaire, but only because the statute of limitations had run out.

The scathing police report, which said Weizman's actions constituted fraud, was likely to fuel calls for his resignation. Still, the President insisted the police conclusions closed the case, and his office said he would not step down.

Weizman's failure to report the money when he received it between 1987-93 was a "serious blow to the image of the civil service and public trust in it," the police report said.

It said that enough evidence existed to go to trial on charges of fraud and breach of public trust, had the 5-year statute of limitations on those crimes not expired.

"Accepting favours or gifts by a public servant, when it is done under circumstances that damage the public trust... is an improper act," the police report said. "The acts related to Weizman come within the definition of fraud and breach of trust."

Weizman's lawyers dismissed those claims as "illogical".

Many in the hard-line opposition have long called on Weizman to step down because they say his vocal support of the peace process violates said.

Prosecutors still must decide whether to accept thepolice recommendation not to prosecute. They were highly unlikely to go against the decision.