In a verdict likely to kill any shot at a political comeback, former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was convicted today of bribery.
The 68-year-old was forced to step down in 2009 after multiple corruption allegations surfaced. The conviction, which will likely result in prison time, stems from a Jerusalem real-estate scandal from before Olmert’s time as prime minister; millions of dollars were spent illegally to help real-estate developments that required zoning law changes as well as tax breaks.
Thirteen government officials, developers, and other businesspeople have been charged in the schemes. Olmert was mayor of Yerushalayim at the time and was accused of taking bribes to help the project.
According to the 700-page verdict issued by the Israeli Justice Department, Olmert was found guilty of two bribery charges for accepting $160,000 from the developers of the massive Holyland apartment complex.
Olmert resigned as prime minister in 2008 amid a separate corruption scandal. He was later acquitted of most of the charges in that case.
The verdict represents the first time a former Israeli prime minister has been convicted of bribery.
A sentencing hearing is scheduled for late April.
{Matzav.com Israel News Bureau}
BH one less self-hating Jew in power.
Can someone please explain is this a kidush hashen or a chilul hashem?
he will sit in prison for a long long time!
#2 – of course it’s a chillul Hashem! This is surely being reported on every Jewish and non-Jewish news outlet, probably leading every anti-Semite to comment that of course, all Jews are money-hungry, corrupt Shylocks and this just proves it once again.
Don’t delude yourself that it’s not a chillul Hashem just because Olmert is not frum. It’s all Jews that were convicted in the eyes of those who dislike/despise Jews anyway.
This is a nerd.
#1 – Olmert was not in power before the verdict. He’s been out of the Knesset and the government for some years.
#6
a- It’s kept him from getting back in all this time
b- It’ll keep him from reentering
see the gemurah end of brochos “fortunate are you reb akiva that you were arrested for learning torah while i was arreated for mere idle matters”
It is sad and tragic for any Jew to be arrested or convicted of any crime. Hashem yirachen!