Israeli authorities have decided to drop plans to pursue rape charges against president Moshe Katsav in a surprising plea bargain, Israeli media reported today.

Israeli President Moshe Katsav’s lawyers made a last-ditch effort today to stave off an indictment on rape and other sexual assault charges at a hearing before Israel’s top prosecutor.

Israeli President Moshe Katsav has been notified that a draft indictment being prepared by Attorney General Meni Mazuz may include a second rape charge, the Israeli Justice Ministry said.

A parliamentary panel today debated whether to take the unprecedented step to oust Israel’s president who faces charges of rape and other sexual offences.

Israel’s attorney general has told President Moshe Katsav to move out of his official residence in Jerusalem while he takes a leave of absence to fight off accusations that he committed rape and other crimes.

Israeli politicians today debated whether to grant temporary leave to embattled President Moshe Katsav, who called impending rape and other sexual assault charges the product of “poisonous, horrible lies”.

Israeli president Moshe Katsav today asked parliament to temporarily remove him from office after Israel’s attorney general recommended that he be indicted on rape and other charges, according to parliamentary spokesman Giora Pordes.

Israel’s politically powerful justice minister today led the growing chorus of calls for President Moshe Katsav to resign over impending charges of rape and abuse of power.

Israeli President Moshe Katsav today came under intense pressure to step down after the attorney general told him he faced charges of rape and abuse of power, the most serious accusations against a top official in Israel’s history.

A defiant Israeli President Moshe Katsav has dismissed a call to step down in the wake of a rape allegation.

Israeli president Moshe Katsav today decided to skip the opening of the autumn session of parliament after police recommended he be indicted on rape charges.

President Moshe Katsav could face the most serious charges ever brought against an Israeli official after police recommended he be indicted for rape, aggravated sexual assault and other counts.

ISRAELI police have recommended that President Moshe Katsav should be charged with rape.

Israeli President Moshe Katsav should be charged with rape, police recommended today, according to Channel 10 TV in Israel.

Israel’s justice minister, a top ally of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, faces possible indictment on sexual harassment charges, in a new blow to a government that emerged politically weakened this week from a 34-day war against Lebanese guerrillas

Attorney General Meni Mazuz recommended today that one of Israel’s chief rabbis, Yona Metzger, resign for receiving improper gifts, according to the Justice Ministry.

The Israeli Cabinet today unanimously approved voting in east Jerusalem, defusing a crisis that threatened to derail Palestinian elections.

Attorney General Meni Mazuz is expected to notify Ehud Olmert today that he will continue to serve as acting prime minister through Israel’s elections, the Justice Ministry said, as Israeli leader Ariel Sharon remained in a coma.

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s medical team pushed forward with efforts to bring him out of an induced coma today, a day after reporting slight progress in the Israeli leader’s recovery from a debilitating stroke.

Doctors are continuing to reduce Ariel Sharon’s anaesthetics today, a day after Israel’s prime minister took a small step towards recovery from a massive stroke.

PRIME Minister Ariel Sharon resumed breathing on his own yesterday and moved his right hand and leg in response to stimulation as doctors started weaning him off the sedatives keeping him in a coma.

Doctors started waking Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon out of an induced coma today to begin assessing the damage caused by his massive stroke, and he immediately began breathing on his own.

The hospital caring for Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon said early today that there was no change in his condition overnight, and doctors planned to bring him out of a medically induced coma.

ISRAELI Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s massive stroke makes it unlikely that he will return to power.

THE future of the Middle East hung in the balance last night as Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon fought for life after emergency brain surgery for his massive stroke.

ISRAELI Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s massive stroke makes it unlikely that he will return to power.

Israeli elections will be held as scheduled on March 28 despite Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s grave illness, Attorney General Meni Mazuz said today.

A SON of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon was yesterday charged with corruption in connection with fundraising activities for one of his father’s election campaigns.

Prosecutors today indicted a son of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon on corruption charges in connection with fund-raising activities for one of his father’s election campaigns, Israel Radio reported.

More than 40,000 soldiers and some 4,000 police are to be deployed in the Gaza Strip to carry out Israel’s evacuation, beginning in mid-August, Israel’s defence minister and police chief said today.

Israeli deputy prime minister Shimon Peres said today the Palestinian government of Mahmoud Abbas is on the right track, despite last week’s Tel Aviv suicide bombing and other attempts by Palestinian militants to torpedo a fragile truce.

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon weathered another storm today when Israel’s attorney general declined to charge him in a party finance scandal while indicting his son.

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon will not be prosecuted in a campaign financing case but his son is to be indicted, state radio reported today.

Israel’s attorney general ruled yesterday that a secret government decision to seize Jerusalem land of Palestinians living in the West Bank violates Israeli and international law.

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon today ordered construction to continue on Israel’s West Bank separation barrier, brushing off a world court ruling that the structure is illegal.

Israel's attorney general dropped a corruption probe into Ariel Sharon today, ending months of uncertainty over the prime minister's political future and boosting prospects of an Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip in 2005.

Israel’s attorney general today dropped a corruption case against Ariel Sharon, ending months of uncertainty over the prime minister’s political future and boosting chances for a withdrawal from the Gaza Strip in 2005.

Israel’s attorney general is expected to announce today that he is closing a corruption case against Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, officials close to the case said.

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s son should not be charged with contempt of court for failing to provide police with documents in a corruption probe against his father, a court ruled today.

Israel’s attorney general is about to drop a bribery case against Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, Israeli TV stations reported tonight.

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is exploring the possibility of bringing the opposition Labour Party into his government as he tries to push forward with his plan to pull out of the Gaza Strip, officials said today.

The Justice Ministry is coming to the conclusion that there is not enough evidence to indict Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon in a bribery case, Israeli TV reported tonight.

Israeli opposition leaders demanded today that Prime Minister Ariel Sharon step down, following media reports that the state attorney is recommending he be indicted for bribe-taking.