The dramatic testimony: Shula Zaken, who was Ehud Olmert's chief of staff, stood on the witness stand today in the Tel Aviv District Court, and in personal testimony recounted the sequence of events from her perspective.
""I stand in court today after my disgrace was exposed to the entire public," Zaken began her testimony. "Unfortunately, I did not serve in the IDF and I did not study at university. Everything I learned was on the move, working alongside Olmert. I was a public servant in the most central places in the State of Israel.".
Zaken spoke about her feelings, about what she has been going through in recent years, since the various scandals involving her and Olmert exploded. "This is a difficult situation. I do not blame anyone but myself, for confusing my values and the values on which I was raised, and on which I raise my children to this day. I regret this as much as I can regret it, and I made a true and honest confession even before His Honor convicted me.".
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In an attempt to appeal to the judge's heart, Zaken added: "Your Honor, you saw how difficult the testimony was for me. It was not for nothing that I broke down and was hospitalized during it. I went through very major mental crises during the handling of the cases, and especially during the handling of this case. My family paid a heavy price, and I paid too, and it is clear that I will continue to pay for my actions throughout my life." Zaken explained that despite the difficulty, she wants to make amends, which is why she is telling everything.
During the testimony, she explained how devoted she was to her boss - Olmert: "You have to understand one thing, I did everything, and when I say everything I mean even bad things, but when I thought their end was good for Ehud Olmert, I did it. Even lying to a political activist so that he would do something for Ehud. Not everything is money, but when it was necessary to hug someone or soften them up, I was sent, and when it was necessary to get angry with someone and not give them a meeting - I did it.".
She told how the connection between Yossi Olmert, the brother, and the state witness, Shumachol Dechner, was formed. "Ehud said, 'There's no choice, Yossi is in trouble, we need to help him. Put them together to set up a meeting,' and I put Yossi and Dechner together, they met at a cafe apropos." After the meeting, Dechner told her to tell Olmert that "everything is fine.".
Zaken spoke about the money she received from Dechner, which she had already admitted to during her police interrogation. "I received gifts from him, money that was intended for me.".
""How much did Dechner give you?" Rosen asked. "Around a hundred thousand dollars, he (Ehud Olmert, Y.H.) asked him. He accompanied me, he and his wife (Aliza Olmert, Y.H.) in purchasing this apartment.".
Zaken added that Decner also used to give her money for Olmert, in amounts that ultimately totaled about one and a half million shekels.
""Why did he give you and not Uri a message that he was the cashier?" Rosen asked. "Ehud saw and was aware of our relationship," Zaken replied, "It was easy for him to ask me to do these things.".
Rosen tried to find out the nature of the relationship between Zaken and Dechner, and Zaken testified to this: "What I said here on the witness stand was true on this issue. There were very warm relationships, there were close relationships, he gave me money, he spoiled me, and what I said here on the stand was true." Regarding the 100,000 shekels she received from Dechner, she said: "I asked for the 100,000 for Ehud, he didn't want to give it, I took 40 for myself and gave 60 to Ehud.".
At this point, Zaken explained how the money would reach Olmert: "I would receive from Dechner, give it to Ehud, tell him how much he gave, Ehud would go through it and take out of it an amount that he would like to spend for himself. At that time, I would connect Dechner to Ehud, transfer it to Messer, and write it down in my diaries so that there would be follow-up. Most of the money was not transferred to Uri Messer. It remained with Ehud Olmert. Everything was transferred through me.".
Here Rosen came to the question: Why the money?
Zaken explained: "He sews suits. I order the tailor, who takes measurements in the office. Also cigars, which cost thousands of dollars. You buy them in stores here and you buy them at duty-free and you buy them in Geneva. When there is an election campaign and you have to pay these and other activists and all sorts of other people who cannot be paid in any other way but in cash, then that is the money that is used.".
