Ehud Olmert is doing well, a doctor said today, after the former Israeli Prime Minister imprisoned on corruption charges was rushed to hospital with chest pains.
The 71-year-old Olmert, who is appealing for early release, was a longtime fixture in Israel's hawkish right wing when he dramatically took a more conciliatory line toward the Palestinians a decade ago.
Channel 10 TV reported that doctors have ruled out a heart attack at this stage following a series of examinations and he will remain in hospital overnight. It said Olmert experienced chest pain after exercising in the morning. He had asked to see his personal doctor last week but was offered the prison doctor instead, which he refused, it said.
Arnon Afek of Tel Hashomer hospital near Tel Aviv, said Olmert is "conscious, communicates with the doctors and undergoing medical tests." He said Olmert "is in good condition."
Prison Service spokesman Assaf Librati says a doctor examined Olmert after he "didn't feel well" today and instructed that he be taken to hospital.
Olmert was convicted in 2014 in a wide-ranging case that accused him of accepting bribes to promote a real-estate project years before he became premier in 2006.
His imprisonment capped a stunning fall from grace that ended Israel's last serious round of peace efforts with the Palestinians and ushered in the era of Benjamin Netanyahu.
Last week, Israel's Justice Ministry asked the police to investigate whether Olmert committed a "criminal offense" while behind bars.
It said the book Olmert is writing contains "sensitive security issues" and that his lawyer was caught leaving the prison with a chapter on "secret operations" not approved by the censor for publication.
Police searched the publishing house of the Yediot Ahronot newspaper, but not the paper itself, over the incident.
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