In her continuing testimony as state witness in the Talansky cash envelopes case against former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Shula Zaken told the court how Mr. Olmert bought her silence in the first trial. Olmert was acquitted in the trial but in a rare move, the Supreme Court permitted reopening the criminal case against him after the state cut a deal by which Zaken would become a state witness and testify. In the original trial she protected her former employer. Zaken is already serving her prison sentence after being convicted.

“Seven years I did not work because of Talansky and Rishon Tours [the latter being another case in which Olmert faces criminal charges]. I sat at home. When I think of my salary, which was high, and multiply it by seven years I lost 2.5 million shekels. Did Olmert pay me this much, no! Did anyone bother to think how I was going to make a living during those days and how I would feed my children? He (Olmert) gave me his word that he would take care of me until the day he dies but he threw me to the dogs. ‘You have nothing to worry about for the rest of your life for as long as I am around and I understand that if I am not around there will be no one to worry about you’. I realized that must make sure that he is outside [not in prison]. I didn’t ask him for a thing”.

Zaken told the Jerusalem District Court that members of Olmert’s legal team suggested to her not to testify in the Talansky and Rishon Tours cases. Olmert’s attorneys told the court that there was no deal between their client and Zaken to pay her anything for not testifying. They insist that he assisted her as a friend, nothing more. They accused her of fabricating this now that she has turned state witness.

When asked about her forty years working at Olmert’s side, Zaken admitted that he was a god to her. She added “To remove any doubt, there is only one G-d”. The testimony continues as Zaken is painting a very damaging picture against the former prime minister.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)