Olmert Holyland corruption trial begins

After years of investigations and news reports, the trial over the Holyland affair, considered by many the most serious corruption scandal in Israeli history, kicked off Monday in Tel Aviv District Court.

The afternoon hearing was largely procedural, with attorneys for the defendants asking the court for more time for discovery. Prosecutors were instructed by presiding judge David Rozen to turn over all remaining documents to the defendants within a month and a half.

All of the defendants denied all counts in the indictment. The trial will start in earnest in July.

Monday’s hearing centered on two more specific requests presented to Judge Rozen. The prosecution requested to move up the testimony of the state’s witness, citing poor health. The court agreed to hear the state’s witness early.

The second request came from Yaakov Efrati, former head of the Israel Lands Administration. Efrati, who is charged both in the Holyland affair and in another case for bribe-taking, had petitioned the court for a separate trial, severed from the other 15 defendants in this case.

Efrati’s attorney, Yaron Kostelitz, told Judge Rozen that the government had not filed a response to his motion to sever. The judge mentioned he had no intention of allowing a separate trial for Efrati at this time.

Hillel Cherney’s attorney, told the judge that the quantity of discovery material would take months to review. The court was reluctant to postpone the trial, and ordered the prosecution to act promptly in the discovery process.

Attorney Shulamit Harel-Schwartz, who represents former Jerusalem mayor Uri Lupolianski, said she hadn’t received any documents from the investigation, while Eli Zohar, who represents former prime minister Olmert, stated that a postponement of at least eight months was warranted.

In January, the State Prosecutor’s office indicted 16 defendants on charges of bribery, including Olmert, and former Bank Hapoalim head Dan Dankner.

Olmert, for his part, is being charged with acts allegedly committed while he was mayor of Jerusalem, before his tenure as prime minister.

According to the indictments, millions of shekels in bribes were paid to various Jerusalem municipal officials and local businessmen to advance the Holyland luxury housing project, a massive development with approximately 1,000 housing units, including two 30-story towers. Much of the project is already built and dominates the Jerusalem landscape.

Both Olmert and his former bureau chief, Shula Zaken, were not present at Monday’s hearing. Olmert had received the court’s permission to attend a hearing in Jerusalem District Court. Zaken, who was absent because of the same hearing in Jerusalem, had not received prior permission from the court and her attorney was censured for the slip up.

Judge Rozen scheduled the trial to take place four days a week beginning in July.