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Fast Facts: Scandals Involving Israeli Political Leaders

Associated Press
Published | Updated

JERUSALEM – A corruption investigation against Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is threatening to force his resignation. Here are some of the previous scandals and investigations that have rocked Israel's politics:

— KATSAV: Israeli President Moshe Katsav forced to resign in June 2007 under cloud of rape, sexual harassment and other charges.

— SHARON: Omri Sharon, son of ex-Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, starts serving 7-month prison term in February 2008 after conviction on campaign funding violations. Ariel Sharon is mentioned often in the inquiries but is not charged.

— HIRCHSON: Finance Minister Avraham Hirchson resigns in July 2007 under suspicion of embezzling millions from a union he used to run.

— RAMON: Olmert ally Haim Ramon convicted in March 2007 of forcibly kissing female soldier. After light sentence, Ramon returns to Olmert's Cabinet as Vice Premier.

— WEIZMAN: President Ezer Weizman is forced to resign in 2000 under suspicion of accepting large sums of money from a businessman.

— BARAK: Prime Minister Ehud Barak and aides suspected in 2000 of campaign finance irregularities. No charges are filed.

— MORDECHAI: Decorated general Yitzhak Mordechai resigns from Cabinet in 2000 after being charged with sexually assaulting female workers. He is convicted and given suspended sentence.

— NETANYAHU: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu suspected in 1997 of engineering appointment of crony as attorney general in exchange for political support from the ultra-Orthodox Shas party. Netanyahu is not charged.

— DERI: Shas leader Arieh Deri is convicted in the case of the attorney general. Also, in 1999 Deri is convicted of accepting bribes and serves two years in prison.

— RABIN: Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin resigns in 1977 shortly before an election when his wife is discovered to have an illegal foreign currency account in the United States.

— YADLIN: Labor Party stalwart Asher Yadlin, picked to be governor of Israel's central bank, charged in 1977 with taking bribes. Cabinet Minister Avraham Ofer, linked to the Yadlin affair and another corruption case, commits suicide.