The country of Israel now has the first premier who is to face potential time in jail after a court has sentenced one recently for bribery charges. Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has been handed out a six-year prison sentence and also received an additional suspended sentence to two years, according to the transcript of the ruling that was emailed to Bloomberg by the Courts Administration. Israel Radio had said that Olmert is expected to report to prison on September 1 unless an appeal overturns his conviction.
Spokesman Amir Dan for Olmert said on Israel Radio about the former Israel PM's conviction, "We're talking about an exceptional, extreme and unjust penalty. We will appeal to the Supreme Court in the hope that the true picture will be portrayed there."
On March 31, the 68 year-old was found guilty of accepting funds illegally during his stint as a Jerusalem mayor between the years 1993 and 2003 from developers who were looking to build the Holyland apartment complex. Bloomberg said that the real estate project's dimensions had ballooned over the years, with Olmert pocketing an estimated 560,000 shekels or $162,000.
Judge David Rozen, who had handed out the sentence to Olmert's crime, said that the former politician's wrongdoing reflected moral turpitude. The news agency said that this means Olmert will not be able to make a political comeback for seven years. Olmert had assumed the premiership in January 2006 following then-Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's stroke, the latter no longer able to perform his duties. Two months later, Olmert had won the office in national elections.
Bloomberg said Olmert had called elections early after a battery of graft allegations dating back from his time as a Jerusalem mayor and a member of the cabinet had forced him to step aside and focus on battling the charges. Benjamin Netanyahu succeeded Olmert in 2009.
