The reason for the timing of the furlough was that it was the first day he was eligible to leave the prison after serving a fourth of his sentence.
Former prime minister Ehud Olmert left Ma’asiyahu Prison in Ramle Monday for the first time since he started serving his 19-month sentence for bribery and obstruction of justice in February.
Olmert went straight to the Tel Aviv home of his son Ariel, where he met his new granddaughter. The rest of Olmert’s family came to Ariel’s home to spend the day with the former prime minister and eat a special meal that was prepared in his honor.
According to the provisions of his 48-hour furlough from prison, Olmert was required to spend the night at his home in the Jerusalem suburb of Mozza Illit. During his time out of prison, Olmert’s Shin-Bet security service protection that he receives as a former prime minister returned.
Olmert is expected to greet friends, including his former colleagues in politics, at his home on Tuesday before returning to prison on Wednesday morning. Many of his friends have visited him in prison, exploiting regulations that permitted any lawyer to declare himself Olmert’s attorney.
The reason for the timing of the furlough was that it was the first day he was eligible to leave the prison after serving a fourth of his sentence.
Olmert, who is an avid soccer fan, was up late the night before the furlough watching the European soccer championship that was won by Portugal.
“Israel permits Hamas security prisoners to watch soccer, and the former prime minister deserves nothing less,” a source close to Olmert said.
As reported by The Jerusalem Post