Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was questioned in connection with a massive real estate scandal.
Police from the National Unit for Aggravated and International Crime in Lod questioned Olmert for about eight hours on May 25 as part of the investigation into the Holyland project, which is being des-cribed as one of the worst corruption scandals in Israeli history.
He is suspected of accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes during the construction of the Holyland apartment project in Jerusalem, built on the site of the former Holyland Hotel, when he served as Jerusalem mayor. Olmert is currently on trial in other scandals.
At least five officials have been arrested in connection with the case. They include former Jerusalem Mayor Uri Lupolianski, who followed Olmert in the office, and Uri Messer, a former aide to Olmert when he served as Jerusalem mayor.
The officials are accused of paying or accepting bribes to rezone the land as well as receiving or giving other benefits, such as tax breaks, for the project. — jta