Olmert to go to prison next week; court rejects plea deal

Ben Sales

Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert seen at the District Court in Tel Aviv where he was sentenced to six years in prison on May 13, 2014. (Yotam Ronen/Flash90)

Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert seen at the District Court in Tel Aviv where he was sentenced to six years in prison on May 13, 2014. (Yotam Ronen/Flash90)

TEL AVIV (JTA) — Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert will enter Israeli prison on corruption charges next week, after a Jerusalem court rejected a plea deal and lengthened his sentence by a month.

Olmert will serve at least 19 months in prison on three charges — two counts of obstruction of justice in corruption cases against him, in addition to his conviction for taking bribes to advance the construction of Holyland Park, a Jerusalem apartment complex. Olmert took the bribes while serving as mayor of Jerusalem in the 1990s.

Under the plea deal, Olmert would have served six months for the corruption charges concurrently with his 18-month sentence in the bribery case, according to Israeli reports. But the Jerusalem District Court rejected the deal Wednesday, and added a 19th month to Olmert’s prison sentence. He will also pay a fine of about $13,000.

He will go to prison on February 15. The corruption charges relate to Olmert’s attempts to persuade an aide not to testify against him.

Olmert served as prime minister of Israel from 2006 to 2009. He left office ahead of his indictment on corruption charges. He will be the first former prime minister to go to prison.

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