Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was accused of involvement in a political patronage campaign
in a previous government post.
Israel’s Channel 10 television revealed Wednesday that it had obtained a
secret memorandum issued by Olmert’s office in 2005, when he was industry and trade minister, that appears to enumerate 115
favors requested by senior members of the Likud Party that were
granted by Olmert’s staff.
Olmert, who at the time was a candidate for the Likud leadership but since
has defected to the Kadima Party, denied wrongdoing. His aides said in
response to the Channel 10 report that the prime minister has no recollection of
the memorandum, and that he has always acted in accordance with Israeli
laws limiting the means through which politicians can enlist support from party
activists.
