A “source close to American businessman Moshe Talansky” quoted in Haaretz on Sunday said Talansky plans to deny allegations according to which he bribed Prime Minister Ehud Olmert during Olmert’s term as mayor of Jerusalem. Talansky raised money for Olmert and even donated to Olmert himself, the source said, but did not know what the money was used for or whether or not it was reported to authorities in Israel.

The Jerusalem District Court agreed Friday to let state prosecutors take early testimony from Talansky. Talansky will give his preliminary testimony in an open forum, despite prosecutors’ request for a closed forum. Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s lawyers said Saturday that they would appeal the district court’s decision, and would ask that Talansky’s testimony be given at a later date.