Israeli police call to indict prime minister in a series of corruption cases

Israel's police have recommended that the prime minister should be indicted in a series of corruption cases.

The force wants to indict Ehud Olmert over affairs including receiving tens of thousands of dollars from a U.S. businessman and double-billing Jewish groups for trips abroad, it has said.

The police recommendation would have only a limited effect. The final decision rests with the attorney general. He and his predecessors have turned down police recommendations to indict Israeli leaders several times.

Olmert's lawyers issued a response just as the police statement was issued.
'We will wait patiently for the decision of the attorney general,' the statement said. 'Unlike the police, he is aware of the heavy responsibility he holds.'

Though he has been dogged by corruption charges through his long public career, Mr Olmert has never been indicted and has denied all wrongdoing.

The police recommendations cover affairs that occurred before he became prime minister in 2006.

One case focuses on Morris Talansky, a 76-year-old American Jewish businessman who testified that he handed envelopes stuffed with tens of thousands of dollars to Olmert before he became prime minister, in part financing a luxurious lifestyle of expensive hotels and fat cigars.

Talansky gave lengthy public testimony for days in a Jerusalem courtroom, defending his allegations under cross-examination by Olmert's attorneys - although Olmert has never been formally charged with a crime.

The second case concerns charges that Olmert double and triple-billed trips abroad to Jewish institutions, pocketing the difference or financing trips for relatives.

After months of police investigations and reports on the corruption cases, Olmert announced on July 30 that he would not run in this month's primary election in his Kadima Party and would submit his resignation after a new party leader is chosen.

If Olmert's successor as party leader can form a coalition, Israel could have a new government in October. If not, an election campaign could extend into 2009. Olmert would remain in office until a new premier is chosen.