Former Israeli PM Ehud Olmert accused of sexual assault

Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has been accused of sexual assaulting a former journalist two decades ago.

Hadas Shtaif, who worked as a crime reporter for Israel Army Radio, claimed Mr Olmert pushed her against the wall and licked her ear in a TV studio where they had both been giving interviews.

The veteran journalist recounted the alleged assault at a lecture over the weekend, saying: “Olmert pushed me against the wall, whispering and licking my ear”.

Ms Shataif later tweeted to say she was “disgusted” by what allegedly took place and said it was impossible to forget.

“It’s all true, I spoke [about this event] in real time to many people. I was disgusted and did not forget,” she wrote on Twitter.

Ms Shataif, who did specify when the alleged incident happened, said she was willing to come clean about the allegation for “future generations” of women.

Mr Olmert, who was a senior minister for the Likud-National Liberal Movement at the time the alleged incident took place, denied Ms Shtaif’s accusation and claimed he had never come within “one metre” of the journalist.

The former world leader, who served as the 12th PM of Israel from 2006 to 2009, was released from prison in July after completing a 16 month prison sentence for a string of corruption convictions that included fraud, bribery and the obstruction of justice.

The 72-year-old left prison early after a parole board permitted him early release from his 27-month prison sentence.

At the time, Prison Service spokesman Assaf Librati said Mr Olmert’s early release stipulates that he must carry out volunteer work, appear before police twice a month and not give interviews to the press or leave the country. Mr Olmert was reportedly said to be volunteering at a food bank and on behalf of a group that provides medical aid to needy families but back in July it was said President Reuven Rivlin could relieve him of the parole restrictions.

Mr Olmert was convicted in 2014 in an extensive case that accused him of accepting bribes to promote a real estate project in Jerusalem and obstructing justice. The charges pertained to a period before he became PM in 2006 when he was Mayor of Jerusalem and Trade Minister.