Israel's newspapers see the nine-month sentence handed down to Omri Sharon for fraud as a clear signal that political corruption will no longer be tolerated.

Some commentators express sympathy for the former MP as his downfall coincides with his father's serious illness, and one points out that many fellow politicians have been saddened by the loss of a political power broker.

However, others argue that the son of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is simply paying the price for disregarding regulations during the 1999 elections, with one commentator remarking that the Sharon family has taken corruption to "new heights".

The court sentenced Omri Sharon to the surprisingly harsh sentence of nine months in jail. Even the state prosecution had not counted on obtaining more than six months... Like the public, the courts are becoming increasingly intolerant of corruption by public figures.

The verdict carries the mark of a sacred mission to eradicate governmental corruption. The judge wrote that the implications of the offence 'spread throughout the nation'. At the same time, nine months will make it easy for the appeal court to ease the punishment.

On this day, a big war began against corruption in the State of Israel. From now on, every politician and government functionary will think once, twice and seven times before he puts his hand into the public purse, or gives someone preference in a tender, or appoints an unworthy candidate only because he kisses his ass... Sharon together with his father ran the state as though it was a sheep pen on the Sycamore ranch: appointed, paid, bought, sold, and suddenly, 'the bastards changed the rules of the game and forgot to inform him'. It was not the Likud that invented corruption but it was the Likud and the Sharon family that raised it to new heights.

A buzz of astonishment moved through the audience: 'Nine months!' whispered the activists and mayors. There was no joy there, certainly no schadenfreude. Until yesterday, Omri Sharon was a brother and partner in deals, bargains and appointments. His downfall, even as a member of a rival party that endangers the Likud's very existence, saddened many of them. First came the collapse of the father, the man who brought them to government five years ago, and now the collapse of the son, the man who knew how to elicit favours for them from that government. The two people who ran the country have lost everything including each other, within six weeks.

It seems there is no more bitter and cruel end than this: from the strongest position in the country, from the dizzying heights of glory and immense power, Omri Sharon finds himself overnight at the lowest point in his life. And all this at the least convenient time for him, under the most tragic of circumstances; as his political career is finished, the source of his power - his father - is not there for him. Only pity is left for the man who lost everything.

Omri Sharon's sentence closed a circle: the son who volunteered to be his father's bullet-proof vest is paying the price of his sacrifice... Only disdain for written regulations and haughtiness can explain the actions of Omri Sharon, as have been revealed in the way he acted during the election campaign that finally brought him to jail.

BBC Monitoring selects and translates news from radio, television, press, news agencies and the internet from 150 countries in more than 70 languages. It is based in Caversham, UK, and has several bureaux abroad.