An Israeli court on Tuesday found former prime minister Ehud Olmert guilty on one charge in a closely watched corruption case, but cleared him on two other charges, in a verdict he hailed as just. The decision to convict Olmert on the lesser charge of "breach of trust," over favours he granted a former colleague during his time as minister, could jeopardise Olmert's political future. But the Jerusalem district court's acquittal of the former leader on the two more serious corruption charges, related to his alleged receipt of cash-stuffed envelopes and multiple-billing for trips abroad, was seen as a victory for Olmert. "We unanimously decided... to convict the defendant on the felony of breach of trust," the three judges overseeing the case wrote in the verdict. Olmert still faces a second trial over allegations he accepted bribes during his time as Jerusalem mayor to smooth the way for the construction of the massive Holyland residential complex in the city. But his acquittal on the most serious charges against him in this trial, including the allegations that forced him to resign from his post as prime minister in 2008, was described as a win for him by political observers. Olmert faced three primary allegations in the first trial against him. The first charge, on which he was convicted, related to favours he granted a former colleague, Uri Messer, during his time as trade and industry minister. Olmert was also accused of receiving hundreds of thousands of dollars from Jewish-American businessman Morris Talanski, in return for promoting his companies in Israel.
