Though the investigation against Olmert remains less than clear even for investigators, the main lines of accusations are now evident:
Olmert received money from Jewish American businessmen including such prominent figures as Sheldon Adelson. The money may or may not be tight to Olmert and Likud’s immediate election-time needs. If that is a crime, every Israeli politician should be in jail.
Olmert asked Sheldon Adelson to consider business cooperation with Talansky, a minor supplier for Adelson’s casinos. Such requests are abundant in the Jewish world. Olmert received no money specifically for that favor. Morris Talansky has other business contacts with Adelson besides Olmert, such as Itkis family. Critically, Talansky never paid his own money to Olmert, but only collected funds for him from Jewish Americans including Adelson. It would be odd for Morris Talansky to bribe Olmert with Adelson’s money to procure a favor with Adelson.
The police also revives an old case against Olmert for subsidizing a factory represented by his friend attorney Uri Messer. Just every Israeli minister likewise provides subsidies for his cronies.
A very warm meeting between Bush and Olmert suggests that Olmert won’t be indicted. It is unlikely that the US president would implicate himself by hugging a soon-to-be-convicted criminal.
