Katsav tapes released: 'What about the naked picture?'

Tapes revealing "Aleph" asked Katsav for $200,000, for "psychological help" released by Channel 2; Katsav used tapes to claim blackmail.

By JPOST.COM STAFF

JANUARY 2, 2011 20:43

katsav in court 311 (photo credit: AP) — katsav in court 311

(photo credit: AP)

Tapes of conversations between former president Moshe Katsav and "Aleph" from Beit Hanassi, who accused Katsav of rape but was not included in his indictment, were released on Sunday by Channel 2 News.

Katsav had brought the tapes to then-attorney-general Menahem Mazuz, claiming that "Aleph" was blackmailing him. However, Mazuz decided that the tapes needed to be investigated further, as they indicated problematic behavior on Katsav's part.

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In the tapes, "Aleph" requests $200,000 from Katsav to help "rehabilitate" her life. "You need to think of it as a gift to a woman you really hurt," she said.

"I'm having a crisis," "Aleph" said. "Even two million dollars won't help me. I need psychological help. I can't function like a regular person anymore...I'm going crazy...My life is over, it's collapsed. You have a life. I will never have a life."

"Where do you think I can get $200,000 from?" Katsav asked. "Aleph" responded that she had heard from friends that the then-president had resources outside of Israel.

She added: "I can't promise you won't have to worry about the tapes. I won't play them. No one knows...I will destroy everything I have," "Aleph" said, in reference to recordings.

Channel 2 also released a tape in which "Bet," a friend of "Aleph," attempted to convince Katsav to help his alleged victim.

"You're lying, you're an actor," "Bet" said.

"Listen, I'm not an actor, you're an actor," Katsav responded. "There was nothing between us."

"What about the picture I found of her in your desk, where she's half naked?"

"What half naked? It was a picture from Purim!"

"Purim? With her whole chest out?" "Bet" asked.

"What are you talking about?" was Katsav's response.