Israel’s former prime minister, Ehud Olmert, 68, was convicted Monday on charges of bribery — a guilty finding that seems the death knell on any thoughts he may have had for a political comeback.
The Tel Aviv court rendered its decision over a Jerusalem real estate deal that Mr. Olmert was involved in before he took the prime minister office in 2006, when he was still mayor of Jerusalem and minister of industry and trade, The Associated Press reported. But he carried that scandal into his prime minister role, and he was ultimately forced to resign from the high office in 2009, among a wave of other scandals and corruption charges.
Now, he faces prison time for his conviction, AP said.
“It is not an easy day for Olmert,” said his lawyer, Roy Blecher, in the report.
Sentencing has been scheduled for April 28, and legal minds think he’s headed to jail. The indictment said he helped push along a controversial real estate development that needed zoning changes, in exchange for money — one of the largest corruption deals unveiled in Israel.
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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