Israeli State Prosecutor Moshe Lador on Thursday closed a corruption case against caretaker prime minister Ehud Olmert in connection with Israel's Bank Leumi, citing lack of evidence, dpa reported.
Lador stated that there was not enough evidence to prove that Olmert in 2005, in his then role as finance minister, interfered in the privatization of the bank for the benefit of a businessman friendly to Olmert.
Lador stated that any conflict of interest on Olmert's part in the case had been relatively mild.
The Bank Leumi investigation, however, is only one of several probes Olmert is facing.
The 63-year-old leader is suspected of having multiply billed travel expenses while serving in public office in the years before he was elected premier in March 2006 in an affair Israel media have dubbed "Olmertours."
He is also suspected of having accepted large sums of cash from Jewish American businessman and fundraiser, Morris Talansky.
Last week, Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni demanded that Olmert "take a vacation" until early elections are held on February 10, which would allow Livni, who is also vice prime minister, to take his place and serve as acting premier.
Olmert resigned already in late September and therefore cannot step down again by law.