Tel Aviv, June 29 (IANS): Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was granted an early release from jail on Thursday where he was serving a 27-month sentence over corruption charges.

The parole board of Israel's Prison Service granted Olmert's early release for "good behaviour" in prison and "a rehabilitation programme that he enrolled to", reports Xinhua news agency.

Meanwhile, the State Attorney's Office asked the board to delay the release at least until Sunday, saying the office is considering appealing the decision.

Olmert, 71, has been under a probe after he allegedly planned to expose sensitive security information in a memoir book that he has been writing in jail, local media reported.

Olmert, who served as Prime Minister between 2006 and 2009, was jailed on February 15, 2016, for bribery, after the Supreme Court reduced his six-year sentence to 27 months.

He is also the first Israeli Prime Minister to serve time in jail.