Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert denied that he took bribes from an American businessman during a campaign, and announced he would only resign if indicted, local daily Ha'aretz reported on Friday.
Olmert made the statement in an impromptu press conference in Jerusalem late Thursday night, shortly after the Tel Aviv Magistrates Court's decided to revise the comprehensive gag order placed on the police investigation against him.
"I never took bribes, I never took a penny for myself," Olmert was quoted as saying. "If Attorney General Menachem Mazuz decides to file an indictment against me, I shall resign immediately, even though I am not required to do so by law."
The prime minister is suspected of illegally receiving hundreds of thousands dollars from an American businessman and fund raiser, Moshe Talansky, during tenures as Jerusalem mayor and as minister of industry and trade in Ariel Sharon's government.
A police source said the funds in question were "very large," and were allegedly received over an extensive period of time "both directly and indirectly."
Olmert admitted the businessman assisted him in raising money in 1993, when he was running for Jerusalem mayor, and helped him in 1998 when he ran for mayor again, and also in 1999 and 2002 in internal Likud elections.
In addition, he said, the businessman helped him cover deficits in election campaigns in which he took part.
The prime minister, however, insisted that he did not gather unlawful funds from Talansky.
The police source hinted that some of the money was tied to the 1999 Likud primary.
Olmert said there was nothing improper with the money that was raised for him and it was passed to his lawyer Uri Messer, who took care of these matters for him.
Olmert was questioned under advisement for over an hour last Friday. Israeli law enforcement soon placed a gag order prohibiting the publication of details of the probe, over which Olmert was questioned under caution.
Prior to the latest questioning, Olmert has three police investigations open against him. A fourth was closed in 2007.
The status of each case is unknown to the public, due to police fears that revealing such information could undermine the inquiry. In each case, Olmert has maintained his innocence.
Source: Xinhua
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