Israeli President Moshe Katsav (File Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    JERUSALEM, Jan. 24 (Xinhua) -- Israeli President Moshe Katsav vowed Wednesday evening to fight for his innocence, following Attorney General Menachem Mazuz's decision Tuesday to charge him with sexual crimes, including rape.

    A few minutes later, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert called for the resignation of the president at the Herzliya Conference.

    "I cannot open my speech tonight without addressing the events of the past 24 hours and the attorney general's decision to conduct a hearing to the president, in light of the possibility of filing a severe indictment against him," Olmert was quoted by local paper Ha'aretz as saying.

    "Under such circumstances, I have no doubt that the president can not continue fulfilling his role and will have to leave the President's Residence. This is a sad day for the State of Israel," he added.

    Earlier, Katsav had refused to resign, saying he knows the truth and "the evidence is on my side."

    Katsav expressed his comments at a press conference at his official residence in Jerusalem, saying that "I've been trampled on by lies which have reached every Israeli house. My family and I are facing unprecedented attacks...I will not degrade myself, I will clear my name."

    Katsav said he would step out the president office only if Mazuz would make final decision to charge him. He, in the meantime, furiously slammed the media for unjustly "issuing a verdict" against him.

    He accused members of media of not stopping for one moment to consider whether the charges were true, adding that the press had not conducted any investigation in the past six months into the veracity of the claims, and had broken every rule of journalistic ethics.

    Katsav also condemned the police for helping the media "spill my blood" and "marking its goal to convict the president."

    Earlier in the afternoon, Katsav asked Knesset (parliament)Speaker Dalia Itzik to temporarily suspend himself. The chairman of the Knesset House Committee, Ruhama Avraham, said Wednesday that the panel would meet Thursday to vote on the president's request.

    According to local media, the Knesset might nix Katsav's move to suspend himself as lawmakers have increasingly called for his resignation over the charges he is facing.

    Moreover, some 30 Knesset members signed a petition Wednesday calling on the Knesset House Committee to begin proceedings to remove Katsav from office.

    According to Israeli law, the president can announce an inability to fulfill his duty and suspend himself for three months. During this time, he still has political immunity and cannot be indicted.

    The three-month period of incapacity is due to come to a close once a final decision is made on the indictment.

    Members of Knesset (MKs) from the left wing Meretz announced Wednesday that they will try to remove Katsav from office. The Hadash and Ra'am-Ta'al factions announced that they will support Meretz's move.

    A majority of Labor MKs also said they would support removing the president from office if he fails to suspend himself.

    Israeli Education Minister Yuli Tamir said Katsav must resign immediately so as "not to embarrass the students and the people in the education system" and to respect the presidential institution.

    In addition, Israel's largest religious party, the National Religious Party-National Union made an official call for the president to fulfill his obligation and resign immediately from his position.

    On Tuesday afternoon, Mazuz announced to indict Katsav on charges of raping and sexually harassing four women employees. A final decision on the indictment will be made only after a hearing, where Katsav will be able to present his case.