Netanyahu’s favours were ‘currency’

TEL AVIV - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made "illegitimate use" of his power and saw favours as "currency," a prosecutor has alleged at his corruption trial.

Liat Ben Ari told a court in Jerusalem that he sought "improper benefits from owners of major media in Israel to advance his personal affairs."

Netanyahu has denied any wrongdoing.

The hearing comes as Israel's president meets parliamentarians to ask whom they support to form the next government following last month's election.

It failed to end the long period of political stalemate that has led to four elections in two years, leaving both Netanyahu's right-wing bloc and the parties opposed to him remaining in power short of a majority.

Once President Reuven Rivlin has consulted all the parties, he will nominate whoever he thinks has the best chance of forming a governing coalition.

Israeli media cited him as telling members of the Yesh Atid party of opposition leader Yair Lapid: "At the moment, I can't see a way to form a coalition."

Netanyahu's rivals fear that if he remains prime minister he will push through legislation that would grant him immunity from prosecution while in office. He rejects such a claim.

He has been indicted in three cases, known as 1, 000, 2, 000 and 4, 000:

Netanyahu has denied all the charges against him, branding them a "witch- hunt" by his political opponents, and has vowed to clear his name.