Former Israeli PM Ehud Olmert to Serve 18 Months in Prison for Bribery

Jerusalem (TPS) – The Supreme Court of Israel partly accepted an appeal by former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert against his conviction of bribery. The court reduced his original sentence from six years in jail to a year and a half to commence on February 15, 2016.

This is the first time in Israeli history that a former prime minister has been sentenced to prison. He was convicted on several counts of bribery in a number of different cases but was acquitted of the main charge.

The decision was reached on Tuesday, December 29, by a panel of five Supreme Court judges in a majority vote. More than a year and a half had passed since the Tel Aviv District Court sentenced him to six years imprisonment in May, 2014.

Olmert served as Prime Minister of Israel between 2006 and 2009 following a long political career as a lawmaker and as Mayor of Jerusalem. He did not run for re-election in 2009 following corruption accusations and was succeeded by Benjamin Netanyahu.

Olmert was first charged in 2009 with fraud, bribery, tax evasion, and breach of trust in a number of different corruption cases. He was convicted of breach of trust in 2012 and of bribery two years later and was sentenced to six years in prison.

Following the ruling, Ehud Olmert said: “A great burden was lifted from me today with the Supreme Court acquitting me of the main charge in the ‘Holyland’ case, which had left a black stain on me, my family, and those close to me for a long time.”

“I repeat what I said in the past. I was neither offered nor did I receive bribes. I respect the court’s decision,” added Olmert. “This difficult moment is an opportunity to thank my family, my children, my grandchildren and my lawyers for staying with me all the way, and also the general public which supported me.”

Seven other defendants were also sentenced along with Olmert, including former Mayor of Jerusalem Uri Lupolianski whose appeal was rejected.