JERUSALEM (AP) — An Israeli court sentenced former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to six years in prison for his role in a wide-ranging bribery case. The following is a look at milestones in Olmert’s four-decade political career:
1973 — Follows in his father’s footsteps and is elected to parliament as member of the nationalist Likud party.
1988 — Joins the Cabinet of hawkish Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir.
1993 — Elected mayor of Jerusalem, beating legendary longtime mayor Teddy Kollek.
1996 — Supervises completion of an archaeological tunnel near a sensitive Jerusalem holy site, triggering deadly Palestinian riots.
2003 — Serves as vice premier in Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s Cabinet.
December 2003 — Gives interview that runs counter to Likud ideology saying he believes Israel must pull out of much of the land it captured from Jordan and Egypt in the 1967 Mideast War, which Palestinians want for a state. It set the stage for Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza and parts of the West Bank in 2005.
November 2005 — Breaks away from Likud to form centrist Kadima Party along with Sharon.
January 2006 — Becomes acting prime minister after Sharon suffers stroke.
March 2006 — Leads Kadima to victory in parliamentary elections on a platform of pushing further peace moves with the Palestinians.
July 2006 — Leads Israel in unpopular monthlong war in Lebanon after Hezbollah guerrillas capture two Israeli soldiers in cross-border raid.
2007 — Relaunches U.S.-backed peace talks with the Palestinians in Annapolis, Maryland. Olmert claims to make great progress, though more than a year of talks end without a deal.
September 2007 — Nuclear facility in Syria destroyed in airstrike, Israel widely suspected.
September 2008 — Olmert announces resignation to face corruption allegations.
December 2008 — Olmert leads three-week military offensive against Gaza militants in response to rocket attacks on Israel. Campaign draws international criticism because of heavy civilian death toll.
March 2009 — Olmert leaves office after Benjamin Netanyahu becomes prime minister.
2012 — Olmert is acquitted of most serious allegations in corruption trial, raising hopes for a political comeback.
March 2014 — Court convicts Olmert in separate bribery trial.
May 2014 — Olmert sentenced to six years in jail in bribery case. Olmert vows appeal but is ordered to report to prison on Sept. 1.
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