Former Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert convicted in corruption trial

Former Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert has been convicted of unlawfully accepting money from a US supporter in a retrial on corruption charges, the latest chapter in the downfall of a man who, only years earlier, hoped to lead the country to a historic peace agreement with the Palestinians.

The conviction could land Olmert five years in prison, in addition to a six-year prison sentence he received last year in a separate bribery conviction, all but ensuring the former premier will not return to politics for many years.

“His behaviour constitutes a breach of trust which harms the public, harms morality, and harms the public’s trust, in how he behaved corruptly,” said prosecutor Uri Korev after the verdict.