国际英语新闻：Israeli ex-president convicted guilty of rape

JERUSALEM, Dec. 30 (Xinhua) -- A panel of judges in a Tel Aviv court convicted Moshe Katsav, Israel's eighth president, guilty of several charges of rape and other sexual abuse of female employees during his tenure both as president and as tourism minister.

"The defendant was found unreliable and the complainant's testimony on her rape in the office and hotel were found credible, " local news service Ynet quoted Judge George Karra as saying.

Israel's former president, Moshe Katsav (C), enters the Tel Aviv District Court before the verdict on rape and other charges of sexual misconduct against him were heard December 30, 2010. A panel of judges in a Tel Aviv court convicted Moshe Katsav guilty of several charges of rape and other sexual abuse of female employees during his tenure both as president and as tourism minister.

The verdict is handed down more than four years after complaints surfaced of severe sexual offenses against his employees.

Katsav was elected as the president in July 2000, and resigned in July 2007.