Ehud Olmert

Ehud Olmert (Hebrew: אֶהוּד אוֹלְמֶרְט, IPA: [eˈhud ˈolmeʁt] ; born 30 September 1945) is an Israeli politician and lawyer who served as the prime minister of Israel from 2006 to 2009.

The son of a former Herut politician, Olmert was first elected to the Knesset for Likud in 1973, at the age of 28. Olmert served as a minister without portfolio from 1988 to 1990, and as Minister of Health from 1990 until 1992. In 1993, he was elected Mayor of Jerusalem. He served two consecutive five-year terms before returning to national politics in 2003 to serve as Designated Acting Prime Minister, Minister of Trade and Minister of Communications. Olmert also served as acting Minister of Finance from 2005 to 2006, following the resignation of incumbent minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

In late 2005, Olmert joined Prime Minister Ariel Sharon in leaving Likud and forming Kadima alongside fellow Likud and Labor Party politicians. In January 2006, Olmert became the acting Prime Minister after Sharon was permanently incapacitated by a stroke. Olmert went on to succeed Sharon as Kadima leader, and formed a government following elections held that March. During Olmert's term, Israel fought the 2006 Lebanon War, which ended inconclusively. Olmert's approval dropped following the war, and he was harshly criticized for his handling of it by the Winograd Commission, whose findings prompted protests calling for his resignation. Olmert engaged in multiple rounds of peace talks with the Palestinians, including the 2007 Annapolis Conference, which ended following the breakout of the 2009 Gaza War.

Olmert resigned as prime minister in 2008 due to low approval ratings and a then-ongoing corruption probe. He remained in office until March 2009 and was succeeded by Benjamin Netanyahu. After leaving office, he was sentenced to six years in prison in 2014 for accepting bribes and for obstruction of justice during his terms as mayor of Jerusalem and as trade minister. He was released on parole in July 2017.