Quds city, March 6, SPA -- Israel's state comptroller is examining interim Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's purchase of a house in Jerusalem, a week after finding the sale of his previous home was above board, a spokeswoman said on Monday. Olmert has denied any wrongdoing in the real estate deals, which have made headlines in Israel during a countdown to a March 28 election that opinion polls predict his centrist Kadima party will win easily, Reuters reported. In the first transaction, Olmert sold his Jerusalem home for $2.7 million to an American tycoon, a sum Israeli news reports alleged was above market value. State Comptroller Micha Lindenstrauss, examining the deal, concluded the figure was reasonable. After selling the house, Olmert bought another home in Jerusalem, for $1.2 million, Israeli media reports said, putting the market value at more than $1.5 million and alleging he received a discount from contractors in return for favours. Shlomit Lavi, a spokeswoman for Lindenstrauss, said the comptroller had asked an investigator in his office to look into the deal. Lavi said the decision was made after Attorney General Menachem Mazuz had informed Lindenstrauss "there is no room at this point to open a criminal investigation into the matter". Olmert has accused his political rivals of waging a smear campaign against him. He took over from Ariel Sharon after the prime minister was incapacitated by a massive stroke on Jan. 4. In 2004, Israel's attorney general decided to close an investigation into Olmert's alleged role in a bribery case involving Sharon, who was also not charged. Corruption accusations had dogged Sharon, though he was never charged, denied wrongdoing and remained popular. Sharon's son Omri received a nine-month prison term last month for illegally funding of his father's election campaign in 1999.
