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| Ehud Olmert’s Sentence in Bribery Case Is Cut to 18 Months From 6 Years | Ehud Olmert’s Sentence in Bribery Case Is Cut to 18 Months From 6 Years |
| (34 minutes later) | |
| JERUSALEM — The Israeli Supreme Court reduced a prison sentence for Ehud Olmert, a former Israeli prime minister, on Tuesday to 18 months from six years after overturning the main part of his conviction on bribery charges. | JERUSALEM — The Israeli Supreme Court reduced a prison sentence for Ehud Olmert, a former Israeli prime minister, on Tuesday to 18 months from six years after overturning the main part of his conviction on bribery charges. |
| Mr. Olmert, the first Israeli prime minister ever sentenced to prison, appears to have run out of legal options and is scheduled to begin serving his term on Feb. 15, seven years after he was forced out of office because of the allegations of corruption. | Mr. Olmert, the first Israeli prime minister ever sentenced to prison, appears to have run out of legal options and is scheduled to begin serving his term on Feb. 15, seven years after he was forced out of office because of the allegations of corruption. |
| He was convicted in March 2014 of taking bribes, in part to facilitate the construction of a huge housing complex known as Holyland while he was mayor of Jerusalem. | He was convicted in March 2014 of taking bribes, in part to facilitate the construction of a huge housing complex known as Holyland while he was mayor of Jerusalem. |
| “A large stone has been lifted from my heart now that the Supreme Court has acquitted me of the main charge, which is Holyland,” Mr. Olmert said in televised remarks outside the courtroom immediately after the ruling, describing the case as “a black cloud” that had long been hanging over him and his family. | “A large stone has been lifted from my heart now that the Supreme Court has acquitted me of the main charge, which is Holyland,” Mr. Olmert said in televised remarks outside the courtroom immediately after the ruling, describing the case as “a black cloud” that had long been hanging over him and his family. |
| The court upheld Mr. Olmert’s conviction in a lesser bribery case that was unrelated to the housing project, but the former leader, dressed in a blue shirt and a casual sports jacket, insisted that he “never took a bribe and was never offered a bribe.” | The court upheld Mr. Olmert’s conviction in a lesser bribery case that was unrelated to the housing project, but the former leader, dressed in a blue shirt and a casual sports jacket, insisted that he “never took a bribe and was never offered a bribe.” |
| Although part of the conviction was overturned, Liat Ben-Ari, an Israeli prosecutor, described the Supreme Court decision as “a watershed in the war against public corruption in Israel.” | Although part of the conviction was overturned, Liat Ben-Ari, an Israeli prosecutor, described the Supreme Court decision as “a watershed in the war against public corruption in Israel.” |
| “We are all proud to be living in a country where all are equal in the eyes of the law,” she said. | “We are all proud to be living in a country where all are equal in the eyes of the law,” she said. |
| Mr. Olmert, 70, served as mayor of Jerusalem for a decade, until 2003. After entering national politics, he served as minister of industry and trade and he became prime minister in 2006, a post he held until 2009. | Mr. Olmert, 70, served as mayor of Jerusalem for a decade, until 2003. After entering national politics, he served as minister of industry and trade and he became prime minister in 2006, a post he held until 2009. |
| The Holyland conviction was largely based on testimony from Shmuel Dechner, a financier involved in the housing project. Mr. Dechner cooperated with the state investigation but died in 2013 before he could be cross-examined by Mr. Olmert’s lawyers. | The Holyland conviction was largely based on testimony from Shmuel Dechner, a financier involved in the housing project. Mr. Dechner cooperated with the state investigation but died in 2013 before he could be cross-examined by Mr. Olmert’s lawyers. |
| The Holyland housing complex rose up on a hilltop commanding much of southern Jerusalem and swelled to more than 12 times the height granted in the original permits. Some Jerusalem residents called the project “the monster” and considered it a blight in the city’s landscape. | The Holyland housing complex rose up on a hilltop commanding much of southern Jerusalem and swelled to more than 12 times the height granted in the original permits. Some Jerusalem residents called the project “the monster” and considered it a blight in the city’s landscape. |
| Mr. Olmert’s appeal relied largely on the question of Mr. Dechner’s credibility as a witness, and on the question of whether there was sufficient proof that Mr. Olmert knew about payments Mr. Dechner had made to Mr. Olmert’s brother. | Mr. Olmert’s appeal relied largely on the question of Mr. Dechner’s credibility as a witness, and on the question of whether there was sufficient proof that Mr. Olmert knew about payments Mr. Dechner had made to Mr. Olmert’s brother. |
| In a decision by four of five judges on a panel, the Supreme Court acquitted Mr. Olmert on a charge that he had accepted 500,000 shekels, or about $130,000 at current exchange rates, in bribes from Mr. Dechner. | In a decision by four of five judges on a panel, the Supreme Court acquitted Mr. Olmert on a charge that he had accepted 500,000 shekels, or about $130,000 at current exchange rates, in bribes from Mr. Dechner. |
| The judges were unanimous in upholding his conviction on taking 60,000 shekels in bribes from Mr. Dechner in another matter, according to court documents. The Supreme Court ruling, which also addressed the appeals of seven other people convicted in connection with the Holyland case, ran to almost 1,000 pages. | The judges were unanimous in upholding his conviction on taking 60,000 shekels in bribes from Mr. Dechner in another matter, according to court documents. The Supreme Court ruling, which also addressed the appeals of seven other people convicted in connection with the Holyland case, ran to almost 1,000 pages. |
| Mr. Olmert, whose hopes for a political comeback were dashed by the original conviction, was sentenced in May to eight months in prison for fraud and breach of trust in a separate case involving an American businessman, Morris Talansky. | Mr. Olmert, whose hopes for a political comeback were dashed by the original conviction, was sentenced in May to eight months in prison for fraud and breach of trust in a separate case involving an American businessman, Morris Talansky. |
| A Jerusalem court agreed to postpone the start of his term in that case pending an appeal. | A Jerusalem court agreed to postpone the start of his term in that case pending an appeal. |
| Zion Amir, a prominent Israeli criminal lawyer who represented Moshe Katsav, the former Israeli president who was convicted of rape and is serving a seven-year jail term, said he expected Mr. Olmert to continue fighting to clear his name. Mr. Olmert would not want to be remembered as a criminal, Mr. Amir added. | Zion Amir, a prominent Israeli criminal lawyer who represented Moshe Katsav, the former Israeli president who was convicted of rape and is serving a seven-year jail term, said he expected Mr. Olmert to continue fighting to clear his name. Mr. Olmert would not want to be remembered as a criminal, Mr. Amir added. |
| Asked about further steps, such as the possibility of seeking a presidential pardon, Mr. Olmert told reporters that his lawyers would examine the legal options but that it was too early to speak of any plans. |