Olmert sentenced to 6 years in prison for taking bribes

Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was sentenced Tuesday to six years in prison and a fine of one million shekels (about 210,000 euros) for taking bribes when he was mayor of Jerusalem. The urban corruption scandal cost him the leadership of government in 2009.

A judge in Tel Aviv considers it proven that Olmert, who tried to ” traitor” for being corrupted, accepted 660,000 shekels (just under 140,000 euros) in exchange for paving the way to an urban promotion known as Holyland (Holy Land). The resounding set, overpriced and pretentious as his name tops a hill west of Jerusalem with six residential blocks and a large residential tower visible from much of the city.

Also convicted were involved in six other corrupted frame that raised Holyland. Two are public charges, as Olmert, embedded sentences of more than six years. The other four are entrepreneurs, equally guilty of bribery. The owner of the complex, Hillel Cherney, serve three years behind bars and pay a fine of € 400,000. Another entrepreneur named Avigdor Kellner was sentenced to 3 years in prison. The exemplary sentence extends as well to those who put money.

Olmert announced that he will appeal the ruling to the Supreme Court, but is unlikely to annul such a drastic decision. It is the first time a former Israeli prime minister faces a prison sentence since the state of Israel was founded 66 years ago. The judge who sentenced him on Tuesday, David Rozen, highlighted the intelligence and contributions to the public good Olmert of Israel, but argued that, precisely because of his former position in the Republic and its proven capabilities, Olmert deserves a harsh sentence and copy ” reached the top, the most important post of the state”, and from there to finish “as a convicted felon.”

The former president, who is now 68, had already passed the dock in two previous trials. In 1998 he was acquitted in a case of illegal financing of his party then, the right-wing Likud. Two years ago I came sentenced to one year probation and a fine of 15,000 euros in another corruption trial. Olmert was so sure that the Holyland case would settle with a similar penalty, according to several published Israeli media, was already planning his return to politics with a run for the next general election.

Olmert insists on his innocence since the trial began. Shortly before his sentence was read spoke of ” a sad day “. Took office in 2006, when his predecessor and boss in the party, Ariel Sharon went into a coma. After being mayor of Jerusalem for ten years from 1993, Industry Minister Olmert was first, and after Sharon Hacienda. Has had past positions within the conservative right-wing Likud party over its sector to the left, so I went with Sharon to his new training center-right Kadima in 2005.

His tenure as Prime Minister was marked by the controversial military campaign in Lebanon in summer 2006, which sought to neutralize Shiite militia Hezbollah on the border with Israel. After Olmert made  significant efforts to reach an agreement with the Palestinian Authority. The right turn that led to its replacement by the current prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, was a setback for a peace process whose nth episode failed in April.

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Posted by Nadeem Bajwa on May 14 2014. Filed under Middle East. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.