n an interview for BBC World Service's Newshour programme, former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert described the current Israeli administration as a "gang of thugs".

He was asked about remarks by the Israeli education minister, who had said Olmert should be ashamed of a previous interview with the BBC, where he argued that what Israel was doing in Gaza was "close to a war crime".

"This is nonsense, they are a group of thugs that are running the state of Israel these days and the head of the gang is Netanyahu - this is a gang of thugs," Olmert said.

"Of course they are criticising me, they are defaming me, I accept it, and it will not stop me from criticising and opposing these atrocious policies."