(IsraelNN.com) A copy of the full transcript of the first police interrogation of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert regarding the Talansky cash-filled envelopes was published, over seven pages, in Sunday's edition of Maariv.  Reporter Dorit Gabbai obtained the transcript and added explanatory notes.

The now-public questioning session took place under caution in Olmert's Jerusalem residence on May 2.  Though a gag order had been placed on the investigation at the time, Channel 2 News reported the night before that it involved suspicions of bribery and the transfer of "huge" sums, in cash, from an American businessman. 

The 70-minute-long questioning session of Olmert can be summed up in this exchange, which took place about three-quarters of the way through the sitting:

Police: What we can tell you is that the contents of what [Olmert-confidante] Attorney Messer said jibe with the contents of what Talansky said, and with the diary/appointments book of your office, and with additional evidence in the case that we have gathered.  What is your response to this?

Olmert: I do not know, I have to see this evidence, to see what is written, and according to that, to know how to answer your question.

The police have questioned the Prime Minister twice more since then, including once regarding a different affair: Alleged double-billing of expenses from various organizations for his trips abroad. The investigation on that matter has continued since then, "satisfactorily," according to police sources.

Olmert has said that he would resign if indicted, but that until then, he would not suspend himself. Attorney General Menachem Mazuz has said that it is not his place to obligate the Prime Minister to suspend himself - though he added that the public should have its say on the matter.

The Police-Olmert Sparring Session
One of the four police detectives told Olmert at the start of the interrogation session that he was being questioned on "suspicions of crimes committed regarding sums of money you received illegally from various elements in Israel and abroad, during your term as Minister of Industry and Trade and while you served in other official positions."

Olmert was informed that the session was being recorded by the Israel Police. Reporter Dorit Gabbai refused to say how she received the transcript.

The police told Olmert, during the course of the questioning, that their information shows that his friend Attorney Uri Messer stored the money in a safe, later transferring some of it to Olmert or his trusted secretary Shula Zaken at various times.  The police also said that Zaken - who, thus far, is maintaining her right to remain silent - had made notations in the office diary about various sums that Talansky gave and that were transferred to her, Messer, and/or Olmert. 

Olmert on Talansky and Zaken
Throughout the session, Olmert took the approach that though he knew Talansky and met with him several times, he did not recall receiving cash from him, nor did he recall receiving money from Messer.  He said that Zaken was his trusted money manager who handled his personal expenses, but that he could not relate to the various notations of money transfers that she entered in the office diary.

'Don't Know, Don't Remember'
Olmert denied some of the allegations outright, but then sometimes backtracked and qualified his answer or said he did not remember. For instance, the police began with, "The investigation shows that while you were Minister of Industry and Trade, you received cash from Talansky. What do you say?" Olmert responded, "This matter is not correct."  He then said he did not recall that he received campaign donations, then said he did not receive them, later said that Talansky gave him donations in the form of checks, and later on in the investigation said he may have received cash on one occasion.

Asked about meetings with specific people or possible cash transfers, Olmert repeated many times that he did not recall or that he could not relate to what other people testified on these matters.

Guiding Comments
Gabbai, interviewed on Voice of Israel's popular "It's All Talk" morning radio program, acknowledged that the publication of the entire transcript was damaging to Olmert.  She explained that her newspaper's interest in doing so was "to serve the public."  She said, "We wanted the public to be able to see exactly what Olmert told the police and thus come to its own conclusions about the matter - instead of relying only on the three-minute appearance he made at a press conference... We published the entire transcript, without changing a thing."

Gabbai did insert occasional comments, however, gently reminding the reader how the subsequent paragraphs should be understood.  For instance, on one occasion Gabbai writes, "At this point, Olmert tries to extract from the investigators whether Shula or Uri Messer incriminated him on this matter."

Police Sum Up
At another point during the questioning, the lead investigator told Olmert, "Look, because we don't have so much time, we won't relate right now to all the sums that you received and all the updates regarding the state of the bank account. We have many documents that show updates in your bank account, in the dollars account that was in Messer's safe. We have those notations. It is confirmed by Attorney Messer. But we will proceed to other matters now."

The investigators asked Olmert about something they considered strange: An early-morning 15-minute meeting between Olmert and Talansky at JFK Airport:

Police: What is your response to this meeting between you?

Olmert: I have no response. I have nothing to say about it. I don't remember it, I just see that it is written here.

Police: Why did you meet him?

Olmert: I don't know.

Police: For a quarter of an hour?

Olmert: I assume that maybe he had to travel, or I was on my way, and that he found it the most convenient because maybe he lives in the area, to stop in the airport. I know nothing more than that.

Police: The thing that was most convenient for Talansky was to stop in the airport at 5:45 in the morning?

Olmert: I don't know.  That, you will have to ask him.
Police: Is it true that the main reason for this meeting was to receive money from him?

Olmert: No.

Police: No?

Olmert: Not that I remember.

Police: You deny?

Olmert: I do not remember what happened at the meeting.

Police: So what was so urgent to meet so early in the morning?

Olmert: I don't know for whom it was urgent, I don't think it was urgent for me.