Former Israeli Tourism Minister Stas Misezhnikov began a 15-month jail term yesterday after being found guilty of corruption and breach of trust, Israeli media reported.

The former official was also fined 70,000 shekel ($20,000) on charges that he asked organisers of a student festival, for which his ministry had provided funding, to hire his girlfriend, Julia Roth.

According to Israeli TV Channel 2, Misezhnikov is the tenth member of the Jewish Home party to be investigated or arrested over corruption charges.

His jail term began a day after mass protests were held in Israel calling for all corrupt officials in government to be prosecuted including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who is being questioned in a number of cases.

MEMO