While the legal team for former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert exhibits a calm confident demeanor in the hope of a victorious appeal to the Supreme Court, the state prosecutor is working in the opposite direction.

State Prosecutor Shai Nitzan on Tuesday, 27 Iyar filed a petition with the Supreme Court seeking to reopen the Talansky cash envelopes case. The state feels there is now evidence which can be used against Olmert that was unavailable during the trial. The new evidence was obtained from state witness Shula Zaken in the Holyland real estate trial against Olmert after the Talansky case. However, Zaken turned over recordings that incriminate Olmert in the Talansky case. Olmert was acquitted in that case.

Nitzan is confident that if the court hears the appeal the former prime minister will be convicted in the Talansky case too.

The state appealed the acquittal before a panel of five judges, explaining based on new evidence it has received from state witness Shula Zaken, an appeal is in order. The new evidence includes recordings of Olmert speaking about matters pertaining to the Talansky case. The state is confidence that if the court accepts the recordings the acquittal in that case will be overturned and the former prime minister will be convicted.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)