Israeli President: Rape Charges Are "Lies"

Israeli President Moshe Katsav angrily defended himself Wednesday against accusations or rape and other crimes, calling the charges "poisonous, horrible lies" and pledging to remain in office to fight them.

Katsav, who was warned by Israel's attorney general Tuesday that he was on the verge of being indicted, was defiant despite growing calls from top Israeli leaders for him to step down or face impeachment. However, he said he would step down if he was officially charged.

"Don't believe the libel, the defamation, the lies. There is only one truth ... I am the target of one of the worst attacks in the history of the state of Israel," he said.

With his voice cracking, an increasingly angry Katsav blamed a media smear campaign — aided by the police — for his troubles and said he would "fight to my last breath, even if it means a world war, to clear my name."

At one point he screamed at a television reporter in the audience, saying he should be ashamed of himself for his coverage of the scandal.

Katsav has faced growing pressure to resign since Attorney General Meni Mazuz announced Tuesday that he planned to charge the president with a raft of crimes stemming from accusations by former female staffers that Katsav forced them to have sex with him.

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

"I did not commit any of the acts that are attributed to me," he said.

Katsav will be given a chance to present his side to Mazuz before the attorney general makes a final decision on whether to charge him.

"If the attorney general decides on an indictment ... I promise to resign immediately," he said.

Katsav, who was born in Iran, implied that the charges against him were motivated by racism against Israelis of Middle Eastern origin, who had traditionally been marginalized by Jews of European heritage.

"I saw myself as a symbol for all those who are not part of the elite clique born with silver spoons in their mouths ... who believe that only they can represent the people of Israel," he said.