Olmert's childhood included membership in the Beitar Youth Organization and dealing with the fact that his parents were often blacklisted and alienated due to their affiliation with the Jewish militia group the Irgun.

In June 2006 she attended a march in Tel Aviv protesting alleged Israeli complicity in the Gaza beach blast, which made her the subject of bitter criticism from right-wing personalities.

[7] Olmert's father Mordechai, a pioneer of Israel's land settlement and a former member of the Second and Third Knessets, grew up in the Chinese city of Harbin, where he led the local Betar youth movement.

While mayor of Jerusalem, Olmert was an invited speaker at an international conflict resolution conference held in Derry, Northern Ireland.

On 7 August 2005, Olmert was appointed acting finance minister, replacing Benjamin Netanyahu, who had resigned in protest against the planned Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip.

[13] Olmert, who had originally opposed withdrawing from land captured in the Six-Day War, and who had voted against the Camp David Peace Accords in 1978, was a vocal supporter of the Gaza pullout.

The 100-day replacement deadline was extended due to the Jewish festival of Passover, and a provision was made that, should Sharon's condition improve between 11 and 14 April, the declaration would not take effect.

[20] On 9 December 2006, Olmert stated that he could not rule out the possibility of a military attack against Iran, and called for the international community to step up action against that country.

He called Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's repeated threats to destroy Israel "absolutely criminal", and said that he expected "more dramatic steps to be taken".

[21][22] He nonetheless came under harsh criticism from both ends of the Israeli political spectrum due to the perceived threat to Israel's policy of ambiguity regarding its nuclear status.

[23][24] On 2 May 2007, the Winograd Commission accused Olmert of failing to properly manage the 2006 Lebanese War,[25] which prompted a mass rally of over 100,000 people calling for his resignation.

Olmert wrote in The Guardian newspaper that Israel was ready to make "painful concessions" to achieve peace with the Palestinians.

Olmert later stated that U.S. President George W. Bush offered to accept another 100,000 refugees as American citizens if a peace agreement was signed.

[37] On 6 September 2007, Israel launched Operation Orchard, an airstrike against a suspected nuclear reactor in Syria, allegedly being built with North Korean and Iranian assistance.

On 24 December, the Negev was hit by more than 60 mortar shells and Katyusha and Qassam rockets, and the IDF was given a green light to operate.

Air and naval strikes continued for days, when on 3 January 2009 the IDF began a ground invasion of the Gaza Strip.

"[52] Defense minister and Labor party leader Ehud Barak called Olmert's announcement "a proper and responsible decision made at the right time".

"[53] After Tzipi Livni won the leadership election, Olmert officially resigned but remained prime minister, according to the dictates of the law.

[57] On 16 January 2007, a criminal investigation was initiated against Olmert on suspicion that during his tenure as finance minister, he tried to steer the tender for the sale of Bank Leumi in order to help Slovak-born Australian real estate baron Frank Lowy, a close personal associate.

[59] Israeli Finance Ministry Accountant General Dr. Yaron Zelekha was as a key witness, according to the State Comptroller's office.

[60] Israeli Police who investigated the case eventually concluded that the evidence that was collected was insufficient for indictment, and no recommendations were made to press charges.

[63] In April 2007, it was further alleged that while Olmert was Minister of Trade, Industry and Labor, he may have been guilty of criminal behavior by taking an active part in an investment center.

In March 2003, State Comptroller Eliezer Goldberg asked Olmert to submit the wealth-declaration statement required of all cabinet ministers.

Rishon Tours then billed each group for the same trip as if they alone were paying, and placed the money in a special bank account allegedly for Olmert's personal use.

The indictment refers to three out of the four corruption-related cases standing against him: "Rishon Tours", "Talansky" (also known as the "money envelopes" affair), and the "Investment Center".

[87] On 10 July 2012, Olmert was convicted on one count of breach of trust over the investment center case, but exonerated over the Talansky and Rishon Tours affairs.

[91] Olmert and eight other defendants, including former Jerusalem mayor Uri Lupolianski and former Bank Hapoalim chairman Dan Dankner, were convicted of accepting bribes in exchange for helping land developers receive municipality licenses for the Holyland Park residential project in the city.

Oral arguments would have to take place within three months, but together with the delay in the final verdict he could potentially stay out of prison for over a year.

[103] In December 2014, Zaken again provided new evidence, revealing that Olmert had offered her $10,000 for every month she would serve in jail for taking the blame in the Holyland case, to be paid in a foreign bank account.

"[104] In March 2015, Olmert was convicted in Jerusalem District Court of fraud, breach of trust, and tax evasion in his retrial on corruption charges over the Talansky case.