Israel’s Olmert denies wrongdoing as he heads to prison

“As prime minister I was entrusted with Israel’s security, and now I am the one who is about to sit behind bars. It is also important to emphasize that none of the charges of which I was convicted was related to my activity during the period in which I served as prime minister”, he also said in the statement. “You can surely imagine how painful and odd this change is for me and my family and loved ones”, he said in a pre-recorded video message from his Jerusalem home.

This makes him the first head of government in Israel, to go to prison.

The report said further that Olmert said shortly before departing in a convoy from Jerusalem that “Life is offering me today no simple test. I go toward it with great sadness”.

For the first time in Israel’s history, a former prime minister was put behind bars Monday morning.

He was initially given six years’ prison in May 2014 for taking bribes within the early 2000s in reference to the development of Jerusalem’s large Holyland residential complicated, however the sentence was later decreased to 18 months.

USA financier Morris Talansky, a key witness in one of the cases, testified that Olmert gave him envelopes stuffed with cash and said much of the money may have been spent on luxury travel and fine cigars.

It said his sentence was set to run for at least 18 months, but depending on possible appeals by Olmert and by the state, could run as long as 27 months.

A separate eight-month prison term is pending, in another corruption case.

“More than a few people were convinced that Olmert would be spared a stint in prison at the very last moment”, says Aviad Hacohen of the Academic Center in Tel Aviv, writing in Israel Hayom.

Olmert resigned as prime minister in September 2008 after police recommended he be indicted for graft, but he remained in office until March 2009, when Likud leader Benjamin Netanyahu was sworn in to the post, which he has held ever since.

Prison officials told Israeli newspaper Yediot Aharonot that Olmert will receive a special security treatment to ensure that he can not escape, and for security reasons as well. Former president Moshe Katsav is also serving time at Maasiyahu on sexual harassment and rape charges.

Olmert has said he made unprecedented concessions to the Palestinians during those talks – including a near-total withdrawal from the West Bank and an offer to place Jerusalem’s Old City under global control – and was close to reaching an agreement at the time of his resignation.

She added that due to Olmert’s former position, “he is subject to various threats and is in danger”.