Olmert's controversial comment was said during an interview given to Democrat TV last week, in which he heavily criticized the current government and its conduct during the coronavirus pandemic.
"We had NIS 100 billion to hand out as unpaid leave grants ... if we had invested 10% of that in the public health system in the past two or three years, we would be in a completely different situation!" he said."צריך לשנות את סדרי העדיפויות"רה"מ לשעבר אהוד אולמרט תוקף את מדיניות הממשלה בתקופת הקורונה:"היום אומרים שאין לנו כסף - היה לנו 100 מיליארד שקל לחלק לכל החל"תים... אם היינו משקיעים 10% מזה במערכת הבריאות בשנתיים-שלוש האחרונות, היינו במצב אחר לגמרי!" pic.twitter.com/wy2bayTxpN
— דמוקרטTV (@Democrat_TV) April 11, 2021
He also expressed optimism in establishing a government without Netanyahu, noting that "the Likud is losing its power" and expressing hope that New Hope head Gideon Sa'ar keeps his word and not support any coalition with Netanyahu.
However, Olmert's positive approach did not extend to Netanyahu himself, expressing some controversial comments about Netanyahu and his family. "What can't be fixed is the mental illness of the prime minister and his wife and son," Olmert said, adding that "under regular circumstances any psychiatrist with a healthy conscience ... would tell you that they need to be hospitalized. They are sick people."למי עדיפות בחירות חמישיות?רה"מ לשעבר אהוד אולמרט בצפי על מערכת הבחירות הבאה:"הליכוד נמצא בירידה... בבחירות הבאות שיהיו התוצאה תהיה כזאת, שיהיה אפשר להקים ממשלה אחרת בלעדיו והוא יסולק מהנהגת הליכוד, הרי הליכוד לא פסול." pic.twitter.com/eE1wpO7hKT
— דמוקרטTV (@Democrat_TV) April 11, 2021
Attorney Yossi Cohen who represents the Netanyahu family has demanded that Olmert publish a public apology and recant his comments, as well as pay NIS 1 million as compensation to Netanyahu. Olmert was given a week to comply. If he does not, Cohen threatened taking the issue to court and suing Olmert for slander.
"It is hard to overstate the level of wickedness, maliciousness and despicableness in your comments that include premeditated and serious slander meant to humiliate and scorn my clients, while making them a cause for ridicule and contempt in the eyes of the public and to damage their positions," a letter sent to Olmert by Cohen read.
"Only a person filled with a blinding hatred that lacks any kind of constraint would be able to make such insults that have nothing to do with reality," the letter further read.
Olmert has openly criticized Netanyahu and his government in the past few years, going as far as saying that Netanyahu is responsible for destroying Israeli democracy.