The Israeli President, Moshe Katsav, asked the Knesset today to temporarily remove him from office after prosecutors revealed they have enough evidence to indict him on rape charges.

Mr Katsav told parliament's House Committee that he wishes to take a leave of absence in the run-up to a crucial hearing with the Meni Mazuz, the Attorney-General, at which he is due to find out whether he will officially be charged with any offence, a parliamentary spokeswoman said.

Mr Katsav's decision follows a statement by Mr Mazuz's office yesterday that it had enough evidence to indict Mr Katsav for raping a former employee while he served as Tourism Minister, as well as sexually harassing three other workers at the Presidential residence.

The President is also likely to face charges of fraud, breach of trust, harassing a witness and obstruction of justice, Mr Mazuz announced.

In a forthcoming hearing with Mr Mazuz, at a date yet to be confirmed, Mr Katsav will have one last chance to make his case before the Attorney-General formally announces whether charges will be forthcoming. It is until this hearing that Mr Katsav wishes to take a leave of absence.

After the revelations yesterday, a number of senior Israeli politicians demanded that the President stand down to prevent his office falling into disrepute.

These included Tzipi Livni, the influential Foreign Minister, who is tipped in some circles to replace the out-of-favour Ehud Olmert as the country's next Prime Minister.

While Mr Katsav is innocent until proven guilty, "he should not be waging the battle to prove his innocence from the president's office", a statement by Ms Livni's office read. "Minister Livni is convinced that resignation would be the appropriate action at this time."

Mr Katsav has planned a news conference for this evening when he will formally propose the temporary leave of absence, which could stretch for up to three months. Under Israeli law, a committee of MPs would have to vote on whether or not to approve such an absence, and Ms Pordes confirmed it would begin its deliberations tomorrow.

The President has strenuously denied the charges, and claims he is the victim of a politically-motivated conspiracy. He refused to comment after the announcement yesterday.

The small opposition Meretz party had said it would have taken action to launch impeachment proceedings against Mr Katsav if he had not removed himself from office.

No sitting Israeli president has ever been charged with a crime - but the Israeli public has in recent years grown accustomed to the spectacle of politicians being put on trial, or being tainted by corruption allegations.

One former minister and former military commander, Yitzhak Mordechai, was forced to resign in 2000 after allegations of sexual misconduct and Mr Katsav's predecessor, the outspoken war hero turned peacemaker Ezer Weizman, resigned in the same year after the attorney-general ruled he had improperly accepted more than £150,000 in gifts from a French millionaire. Mr Weizman was never indicted.

Earlier this week, police began to investigate the conduct of Mr Olmert for his involvement in the sale of a Government-controlled bank.

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