Israel”s ex-PM Olmert starts 19-month prison sentence

Ehud Olmert, the former Israeli prime minister, has begun serving his 19-month prison sentence, making him the first Israeli head of government to go to prison. Olmert was charged for bribery and obstruction of justice. Hours before, he released a video message saying that he “rejects outright” the bribery charges he is convicted of.  He […]

Ehud Olmert, the former Israeli prime minister, has begun serving his 19-month prison sentence, making him the first Israeli head of government to go to prison.
Olmert was charged for bribery and obstruction of justice. Hours before, he released a video message saying that he “rejects outright” the bribery charges he is convicted of. 
He admitted to having “made mistakes”, but said these were “not criminal”, and denied having taken bribes. “Life is offering me today no simple test. I go towards it with great sadness,” he said.
The 70-year-old was convicted in March 2014 in a case that accused him of accepting bribes to promote a controversial real-estate project in Jerusalem. The charges pertained to a period when he was mayor of Jerusalem and trade minister, years before he became prime minister in 2006.