Olmert corruption trial begins

The trial of the former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on corruption charges has begun in Jerusalem.

Mr Olmert stands accused of fraud, breach of trust, falsifying corporate records and failing to declare income. He denies the charges.

It all relates to the periods when Mr Olmert was mayor of Jerusalem and a cabinet minister, but before he became the Israeli prime minister in 2006.

Mr Olmert's lawyers have described the prosecution case as ridiculously weak.

Ehud Olmert was forced to resign last September over allegations that include taking hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash payments from an American businessman, Moshe Talanksy.

It is alleged the funds were used to fund Mr Olmert's election campaign when he was mayor of Jerusalem, but Mr Olmert insists he never took a penny for himself.

It is alleged the funds were used to fund Mr Olmert's election campaign when he was mayor of Jerusalem, but Mr Olmert insists he never took a penny for himself.

EHUD OLMERT'S POLITICAL LIFE
1993: Begins 10-year stint as mayor of Jerusalem
2005: Leaves right-wing Likud party with former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to form Kadima
2006: Takes over as leader when Ariel Sharon suffers a stroke
2007: Helps re-launch Israeli-Palestinian peace talks after seven-year hiatus
2008: Announces plans to resign
March 2009: Replaced as PM by Benjamin Netanyahu

The prosecution also alleges that Ehud Olmert defrauded a number of Israeli charities, including Yad Vashem, the Holocaust museum and memorial.

The prosecution will state Mr Olmert charged Israeli charities $92,000 (about £60,000) for business travel which had already been paid for by the government.

The money was allegedly kept in a secret account by the Rishon Tours travel agency and used to pay for the Olmert family's holidays, says the BBC's Paul Wood in Jerusalem.

He scoffed at suggestions he might go to prison.

Some reports estimate that the case may last as long as four years. If found guilty Mr Olmert faces a lengthy prison term.

Ehud Olmert became prime minister in May 2006, after serving a number of months as acting prime minister following the stroke and subsequent coma of then PM, Ariel Sharon.