After the Supreme Court ruled the Talansky cash envelopes case against former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert can be reopened, Olmert added a new star to his legal team. Attorney Eyal Rosovsky has been added to the defense team. He is reportedly an expert in cross examination and he will be used to discredit the state’s star witness, Shula Zaken. Olmert and his legal experts also feel that Rosovsky is not in any way emotionally connected to Zaken and his addition to the team will work to Olmert’s benefit. The other attorneys on the team have come to know Zaken during the past years, spending many hours in her presence during the former prime minister’s many legal trials.

After the former Olmert aide and confidant Zaken turned state witness, the prosecution relieved eight tapes of recordings that reportedly incriminate Olmert in the case. The state feels the information contained on two of the tapes is sufficient for a conviction in the case.

After hearing the tapes, the High Court decided to make the decision, which strays from the legal norm, permitting a retrial for Olmert. The case is scheduled to begin on September 1.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)