Israel corruption trial for ex-PM Olmert suspended as associate charged in bribery scandal

Israel corruption trial for ex-PM suspended

JERUSALEM — An Israeli court suspended the corruption trial of former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Thursday, a day after a longtime confidant of the ex-premier was arrested in a multimillion-dollar bribery scandal.

Olmert was mayor of Jerusalem when the bribery allegedly took place. It is not clear whether he was implicated in that case because there is a partial gag order on it.

The money allegedly changed hands to promote several real-estate projects, including a large development in Jerusalem that required a radical change in zoning laws.

On Wednesday, police arrested six men suspected of involvement in the case. Among them was Olmert’s longtime confidant Uri Messer, who police suspect acted as a middleman, funneling bribes to a high-ranking city hall official who was not identified. The other suspects included a former city hall official and property developers.

Messer was responsible for Olmert’s campaign finances and the two were partners in a law office.

Olmert is standing trial on separate corruption charges that include illegally accepting funds from an American supporter and double-billing Jewish groups for trips abroad. Messer has been questioned numerous times over the charges.

The formal charges against Olmert include fraud and breach of trust. Israel’s Justice Ministry has not said what penalties Olmert could face, but the fraud charge alone could carry a prison term of up to five years.

The incidents in question date from his time as Jerusalem mayor and later as a Cabinet minister, but emerged after he was elected prime minister in 2006.

American supporter, businessman Morris Talansky, said he had given Olmert hundreds of thousands of dollars, some of it in envelopes stuffed with bills. His testimony helped galvanize public opinion, and in late 2008 Olmert was forced to resign.

The trial began last September. On Thursday, the Jerusalem district court agreed to suspend the case until May — a four-week delay — after Olmert’s lawyers said he couldn’t receive a fair trial in the current climate.

At the hearing, Olmert’s lawyer Eli Zohar demanded “to stop this trial here and now.” Another Olmert lawyer made a personal plea to the court to allow for more time to prepare.

The judges read a statement saying they partially accepted the request to suspend the trial and that it would resume May 6.

The 63-year-old Olmert has largely been out of the public eye since leaving politics.

Olmert is currently abroad on business and is expected to return to Israel next week. His spokesman, Amir Dan, said he had no plans to cut short his trip.

Zohar did not expect the ex-premier to be arrested when he returns. He told Israel’s Channel 10 TV, “I can’t imagine a reason, logic or basis for something like that to occur.”