Israeli police questioned Prime Minister Ehud Olmert for a
fourth time Friday on two alleged corruption affairs in which he is suspected
of being implicated.
The questioning lasted for 45 minutes minutes longer than
the scheduled two hours, Israel Radio reported, and the premier was confronted
with documents relating to charges he double-, and even triple-, billed
sponsors for overseas visits, and used the extra money to pay for trips for his
family.
Olmert was also questioned on allegations that over the
years he received hundreds of thousands of dollars, most of it via envelopes
full of cash, from a US-Jewish fundraiser.
Olmert has denied the accusations, and although he admitted
receiving funds in what has become known as "the money envelopes"
affair, denies the sums mentioned, and insists it was legitimate reimbursements
for food and accommodation.
Israel Radio quoted a "police source" as saying
that he believed that the investigation into both affairs would end in a few
weeks and a recommendation would be made to indict the prime minister.
Olmert said Wednesday night that intends stepping down from
the premiership after his Kadima party chose a new leader in primaries on
September 17.
Announcing his intentions in a televised appearance, he also
slammed the conduct of the investigations against him, saying that while he was
proud to live in a country "where the prime minister can be investigated
like any other citizens" he had "been denied the elementary right to
the presumption of innocence."
Olmert's office is currently involved in a public spat with
the police and the state prosecutor's office regarding leaks from the
investigations against him.
Accounts of police interrogations of witnesses and others
involved in the alleged scandals have often appeared in the media within a very
short time of their having taken place.
The two cases over which Olmert was questioned Friday came
to light only in recent months, and are the latest to beset the premier.
He is also suspected of buying a house in an upscale Jerusalem neighbourhood, at a price significantly below
the market value, in return for helping the building contractor receive
construction permits from the Jerusalem
authorities.
There are also suspicions that, while trade and industry
minister, Olmert pushed for a friend and former business partner to receive
favourable treatment from the ministry's investment centre, and that he acted
improperly by appointing political cronies to senior positions in the ministry's
Small Business Authority.
There are also allegations that while finance minister
Olmert intervened in the sale of Israel's largest bank to the
benefit of two business associates did not lead to an indictment.
An Israeli newspaper on Thursday quoted a Supreme Court
justice as saying that Olmert was being targeted as a means of getting rid of
his unpopular justice minister, Daniel Friedman, who has enraged the legal
establishment with his intended reforms and changes.
The Courts' Adminstration denied the comments attributed to
Justice Esther Hayout.
