Former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert offered to swap Israeli territory near the Gaza Strip and West Bank in exchange for settlement blocs in the West Bank, the Haaretz newspaper reported on Thursday, in the most detailed account of the former Israeli leader's proposed peace offer to the Palestinians.

Israel's former prime minister, Ehud Olmert, appeared in a Jerusalem courtroom on Friday for a hearing that marks the first time any current or past Israeli head of government has stood trial.

Israel's former prime minister Ehud Olmert is due to appear in court for the first time on Friday after his indictment on graft charges, a justice ministry spokesman said.

Israeli legal authorities indicted former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on corruption charges on Sunday, the first criminal indictment ever filed against a current or past Israeli prime minister.

Amid mounting public pressure, outgoing Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Sunday said the Government would decide tomorrow on arriving at a deal with Hamas to secure the release of an Israeli soldier abducted by them.