Former Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert. Photo: Maxine Dovere.

JNS.org – Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, convicted in March of having received bribes to facilitate the construction of the Holyland housing project in Jerusalem a decade ago, was sentenced Tuesday to six years in prison.

Tel Aviv District Court Judge David Rozen attributed moral turpitude to Olmert’s conviction, and also ordered him to pay a $290,000 fine.

According to Israeli law, a public official convicted of a criminal offense to which moral turpitude has been attributed is barred from civil service for seven years, regardless of the length of his sentence.

“Ehud Olmert has gone from holding the highest and most respected position in Israel to that of a felon, one who has been convicted of severe and contemptible offenses,” Rozen said.