Israel ex-PM Ehud Olmert to serve jail term for bribery

Tel Aviv: The Israeli Supreme Court on Tuesday partially accepted an appeal by former prime minister Ehud Olmert in a corruption case under which he will serve 18 months in prison instead of the six years handed out to him.

Olmert, 70, will begin serving his sentence on February 15, next year, Haaretz daily reported.

He was convicted over a real estate deal that took place while he served as mayor of Jerusalem, prior to becoming prime minister in 2006.

Olmert will become the first former Israeli head of government to go to prison.

In 2014, Olmert was sentenced to six years in prison by the Tel Aviv District Court for his role in a real estate project in Jerusalem. He was found guilty of taking bribes as then mayor of Jerusalem in exchange for expediting construction procedures.

Olmert, who served as prime minister between 2006 and 2009, announced his resignation in late 2008 as corruption allegations started to surface against him.