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Israel’s ex-PM Ehud Olmert released from prison

Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, left, exits prison after his sentence, in Ramle, Israel, Sunday, July 2, 2017. The parole board of Israel's Prison Service has granted Olmert early release from prison. Prison Service spokesman Assaf Librati says the board granted Olmert's request to reduce a third of his 27-month incarceration sentence. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit) Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, left, exits prison after his sentence, in Ramle, Israel, Sunday, July 2, 2017. The parole board of Israel's Prison Service has granted Olmert early release from prison. Prison Service spokesman Assaf Librati says the board granted Olmert's request to reduce a third of his 27-month incarceration sentence. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)

By Associated Press July 2, 2017 1 min read

JERUSALEM (AP) – Israel’s Prison Service says former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has been released after serving time for corruption.

Spokesman Assaf Librati says Olmert was freed early Sunday morning.

Last week the parole board granted the 71-year-old Olmert early release from his 27-month corruption sentence.

Olmert was convicted in 2014 on charges of accepting bribes to promote a real-estate project in Jerusalem and obstructing justice. The charges pertained to a period when he was mayor of Jerusalem and trade minister before he became premier in 2006.

Olmert was a longtime fixture in Israel’s hawkish right wing when he began taking a dramatically more conciliatory line toward the Palestinians.

His imprisonment ended the last major Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts and ushered in the era of Benjamin Netanyahu in 2009.