Olmert, Ehud, << OHL mehrt, eh HOOD >> (1945-…), was prime minister of Israel from May 2006 to March 2009. He had served as acting prime minister after Prime Minister Ariel Sharon suffered a major stroke in January 2006.
Olmert was elected to the Knesset (Israeli parliament) as a member of the conservative Likud party in 1973. He served under Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir as minister without portfolio responsible for minority affairs from 1988 to 1990 and as health minister from 1990 to 1992. From 1993 to 2003, Olmert was mayor of Jerusalem. As mayor, he helped develop Jerusalem’s road system.
Sharon became prime minister in 2001. In 2003, he appointed Olmert deputy prime minister. Olmert also served under Sharon as communications minister and as finance minister. Olmert was one of the first Israeli ministers to suggest that Israel withdraw troops and settlers from the Gaza Strip. The Gaza Strip is an area on the Mediterranean coast that Israel had either fully or partially occupied since 1967.
In November 2005, Sharon quit the Likud party to form his own party, called Kadima. Olmert was one of the first to join. Sharon formed the party after many Likud members strongly opposed his plan for withdrawal from the Gaza Strip. The withdrawal was completed in 2005. Olmert became head of Kadima in 2006.
Beginning in late 2006, Olmert faced multiple corruption investigations. He denied any wrongdoing. In July 2008, Olmert announced he would resign as prime minister and head of Kadima. Tzipi Livni replaced him as Kadima leader in September. After elections in February 2009, Benjamin Netanyahu replaced Olmert as prime minister. In 2014, Olmert was found guilty of accepting bribes while he was mayor of Jerusalem. He was sentenced to 6 years in prison, but an appeal eventually lowered the sentence to 18 months.
Ehud Olmert was born in Binyamina, Israel, on Sept. 30, 1945. His father was also a member of the Knesset. Olmert served in the Israel Defense Forces as an officer until he was injured and became an army reporter. He graduated from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and philosophy. He also received a law degree from the Hebrew University.
