Israeli President Moshe Katsav submitted his letter of resignation on Friday, as part of a much-criticised plea bargain that dropped planned rape charges and the threat of jail time.

His resignation — two weeks before his seven-year term was to expire — takes effect on Sunday and clears the way for his indictment on lesser charges of indecent acts, sexual harassment and obstruction of justice. He will receive a suspended prison sentence and be required to pay damages to two of his four accusers, all former female employees. The plea deal Mr Katsav signed on Thursday was a dramatic reversal by Attorney General Meni Mazuz, who had announced in January that he planned to try the president on charges of rape and other sex crimes — counts that could have landed him in prison for 2 years.

Mr Katav’s accusers condemned the deal, as did women’s rights groups and newspaper commentators. A public opinion poll by the Dahaf Research Institute published on Friday in the Yedot Ahront daily showed 69 per cent of those surveyed opposed it, and 3 per cent thought justice wasn’t served.

Claims that Mr Katsav used his position as Israel’s ceremonial head of state to force himself on women were the most serious allegations ever brought against an Israeli leader and intensified growing worries about misconduct by a swelling list of officials, including Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.

The deal, which dominated newspaper coverage on Friday, was widely seen as a victory for Mr Katsav, who stepped aside from his duties in January to fight the rape allegations but didn’t quit.