Moshe and Gila Katzav
Moshe and Gila KatzavFlash 90

Gila Katzav, wife of former president Moshe Katzav, met twice in recent months with current President Reuven Rivlin, Channel 1 News reported on Sunday night.

According to the report, during the meetings between the two, the last of which was four months ago, Katzav’s wife was repeatedly told that there was no chance that Rivlin would pardon her husband, and it was due to this fact that it was decided to contact the parole board.

Katzav, who is currently serving out a seven-year jail term for two counts of rape, was recently denied an early release from prison by the parole board, and his defense team is to decide in the coming days whether to go to court to appeal the decision or apply for early release again.

The report about the meetings between Rivlin and Katzav’s wife come hours after the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper reported that Rivlin is considering granting clemency to former Katzav due to what has been described as a serious decline in the mental health of the former leader.

Associates of Katzav claim that he has suffered a serious decline in mental health following the decision by the state parole board to deny him an early release.

Relatives have said that Katzav is in a deep depression and has become increasingly distrustful of people generally and the justice system in particular.

Israel Prison Service officials responded to the report earlier on Sunday evening, saying that "there is no deterioration in Katzav's mental health," and that they don't feel there is justification for an early release.