Defying an escalating clamour for his resignation, President Ezer Weizman of Israel appeared on national television last night to declare that he had done nothing wrong and was remaining in office.
A 10-strong team of police investigators at the National Fraud Squad is investigating allegations of financial misdealings by the president, and leading Israeli politicians, including the Justice Minister, Mr Yossi Beilin, have been calling on Mr Weizman to at least take temporary leave of office until the investigation is completed.
But the president has reportedly been telling friends that he intends to "fight to the end like President Clinton". And it was fighting spirit he displayed on TV last night, giving a brief address to "my dear citizens of Israel" and permitting no reporters' questions at the end.
The allegations against Mr Weizman concern payments he received in the 1980s from a millionaire French businessman, Mr Edouard Saroussi. The President insists that the monies involved, totalling several hundred thousand dollars, constituted a gift from a friend, but police have established that Mr Weizman and Mr Saroussi had a business relationship, and there are suspicions of tax evasion and criminal wrongdoing.
Mr Weizman said last night that he had "no intention of resigning", because "a man with a clear conscience has no fear and doesn't run away . . . I have committed no crime, I haven't sinned," he said. "I have acted with integrity and honesty, and in good faith."
A former Israeli air force commander and long-time Knesset member, Mr Weizman has politicised the largely ceremonial office of president, which he has held since 1993, most recently by firmly backing the Prime Minister, Mr Ehud Barak, in his efforts to make peace with Syria. His decision to cling to office, if he becomes progressively more dis credited by further allegations, could undermine Mr Barak, but is unlikely to seriously affect policy or the government's standing.
With many leading politicians criticising his decision not to suspend himself, and one left-wing Knesset member going so far last night as to call him "an embarrassment", Mr Weizman faces a rough public ride in the next few days, beginning today when he may find himself heckled by politicians at ceremonies marking the Knesset's anniversary.
AFP reports from Jerusalem:
The speaker of the Palestinian legislature has ruled out the possibility of reaching a framework agreement with the Israelis before the deadline of February 13th.
"There has been no progress on the various issues. There is not much time left and I don't see how an agreement can be concluded," Mr Ahmad Qorei said yesterday.
He condemned Israel's alleged lack of seriousness in pursuing the negotiations on the so-called "final status issues" which include the future of Jerusalem, Palestinian refugees, borders and Jewish settlements.