The allegations against Israel's Netanyahu

JERUSALEM: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appeared in court Monday as his long-awaited corruption trial ramps up.

Here is a look at the accusations against the veteran premier, who denies all charges:

Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit in January indicted Netanyahu for fraud and breach of trust in what are known as Cases 1000 and 2000, and for bribery, fraud and breach of trust in Case 4000.

Case 1000 involves allegations Netanyahu and his family received gifts including luxury cigars, champagne and jewellery from wealthy individuals, estimated to be worth more than 700,000 shekels ($213,000), in exchange for financial or personal favours.

According to police, Hollywood producer Arnon Milchan was responsible for some 478,000 shekels-worth of gifts, while the remainder came from Australian billionaire James Packer.

Netanyahu is suspected in return to have sought to help Milchan receive tax benefits, that some reports said could have been worth millions of dollars and assisted him with obtaining a US visa.

Netanyahu argues there is no problem with receiving gifts from friends, and denies having acted inappropriately in exchange.

A second investigation, known as Case 2000, concerns allegations Netanyahu sought a deal with the owner of the Yediot Aharonot newspaper, that would have seen it give him more favourable coverage.

In exchange, Netanyahu allegedly raised the possibility of pushing for legislation to limit the circulation of Israel Hayom, a free newspaper that is the main rival to Yediot.

Police based their investigation on recordings of meetings between Netanyahu and Yediot's publisher Arnon Moses.

Ari Harow, a former Netanyahu chief of staff, agreed to testify in exchange for leniency.

Netanyahu says he acted against the legislation concerning Israel Hayom.

The third investigation, known as Case 4000, is considered the most serious. It also relates to alleged attempts to seek positive media coverage through favours.

Netanyahu is alleged to have negotiated with Shaul Elovitch, the controlling shareholder of Israeli telecommunications giant Bezeq, to get positive coverage on his Walla! news site in exchange for policies benefiting Bezeq.

Shlomo Filber, a Netanyahu ally for more than 20 years and a former communications ministry director general, has become a state witness.

He is accused of mediating between Netanyahu and Elovitch, and promoting regulatory changes worth millions of dollars to Bezeq.

Netanyahu dismisses the allegations, saying he received nothing from Elovitch and that Walla's coverage of him has been negative.

He says experts were in support of arrangements for Bezeq.

Mandelblit described a long list of Walla coverage decisions allegedly taken on behalf of Netanyahu.

They included downplaying stories Netanyahu viewed as harmful to him or his family and publishing negative coverage of opponents.

In one case, Netanyahu allegedly pushed for a story about the wife of a political rival having worked in a non-kosher restaurant.