Israeli President Asks For Temporary Leave

Israeli President Moshe Katsav asked parliament on Wednesday 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.

Under Israeli law, a Knesset committee would have to approve any leave of absence, Pordes said. Katsav's office had no comment, though the president was expected to address the nation later Wednesday.

CBS News correspondent Robert Berger reports that Katsav was under intense pressure to resign after the attorney general's decision to file charges.

They are the most serious allegations against a senior official in Israel's history, Berger reports.

The planned indictment caps a six month investigation, after four women accused Katsav of sexual misconduct while president and previously as a Cabinet minister.

Katsav has maintained his innocence and says he's the victim of a political witch hunt.

The Israeli president's role is largely ceremonial, with most power resting in the hands of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and the Knesset legislature.