Public distrust of Ehud Olmert has deepened over the testimony of a key witness in a suspected bribery affair, a poll found.
Wednesday’s Ha’aretz survey found that 70 percent of Israelis do not believe the prime minister’s protestations of innocence, 14 percent believe him and the rest are undecided.
The poll was conducted after U.S. business Morris Talansky appeared in open court Tuesday to recount cash handouts he made to Olmert over the past 15 years, before he became prime minister.
After the police investigation surfaced earlier this month, Olmert told the nation that the money he received from Talansky was for legitimate campaign financing.
At the time, polls indicated that 60 percent of Israelis did not believe the prime minister’s account.
Ha’aretz did not provide the number of respondents who took part in Wednesday’s poll or a margin of error.
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