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 charges.
The recommendations are the result of a months-long investigation of complaints by women who worked for him.
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, left, shakes hands with Israeli President Moshe Katsav during a meeting last month.
Israeli police made their recommendation yesterday in a meeting with Attorney General Meni Mazuz, who will decide on whether Mr Katsav will be put on trial.
Calls on Mr Katsav to suspend himself or resign are increasing. The first test of his standing after the police report was to come today, when he was to attend the opening of the winter session of Israel's parliament.
Several members said they would stay away in protest while Mr Katsav was there.
According to the statement released after the meeting, the police also found basis for charges of fraud and malfeasance in office in the president's actions, as well as illegal wiretapping. Investigations concerning disrupting a police investigation and harassing a witness are still in progress.
Although a previous president and several prime ministers have been suspected of financial misdeeds and a former defence minister was convicted of sexual harassment, the charges facing Mr Katsav would be the most serious criminal counts brought against a serving Israeli official.
Mr Katsav has denied all the allegations. His lawyer said the police were not authorised to bring charges, noting that in the past when police have recommended putting senior officials on trial, the attorney general has dismissed most of the cases.
Mr Mazuz does not have a deadline for making his decision and is expected to take several weeks to study the evidence.
Commentators in Israel's biggest newspapers said Mr Katsav, who has held a series of cabinet posts as a member of the right-wing Likud party, must step down.
"Moshe Katsav served as president for the past six years, and the presidency served him," Nahum Barnea wrote in Yedioth Ahronothnewspaper.
Under the headline "Farewell, President Katsav," Legal analyst Ze'ev Segal told Haaretzthat he must resign to save the public's faith in the institution of the presidency.