Israel's Criminal Sentencing Standards

In the next few minutes, Moshe Katsav, the convicted rapist and former president of Israel, will receive a much easier sentence than he deserves. The maximum sentence he can get is sixteen years. There is no minimum, since the law requiring at least four years for rape was passed after Katsav committed his crimes. Israel's sentencing standards for violent crimes, especially rape, are ridiculously low. On average, rapists get 4-8 years in prison, and that's before one third is knocked off for good behavior.

Members of the Knesset would do Israel a great service if they worked on new minimum and maximum sentencing laws instead of dealing in racist or esoteric issues. A rapist should get at least fifteen years. If it were up to me, the maximum would be a life sentence, but I'd be happy with 25 years as well.