Former ‘Israeli’ PM expresses regret over Epstein ties
Note: AI technology was used to generate this article’s audio.
- Former ‘Israeli’ prime minister Ehud Barak says he regrets maintaining contact with Jeffrey Epstein after the financier’s 2008 conviction.
- Barak insists newly released Epstein files will not reveal any criminal or improper conduct on his part.
Former ‘Israeli’ prime minister Ehud Barak has expressed regret over continuing his relationship with disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein after Epstein’s first criminal conviction, following the release of thousands of new documents and recordings linked to the case.
In an interview with Channel 12 in ‘Israel’, Barak said he erred by not examining Epstein’s background more thoroughly after the financier was convicted in 2008 on charges related to soliciting a minor for prostitution. Epstein served about one year under a plea deal in Florida.
Early ties and justification
Barak said he first met Epstein in 2003 at a large event in Washington, where he was introduced by former ‘Israeli’ president Shimon Peres, who, according to Barak, described Epstein as “a good Jew” he knew well.
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Despite the 2008 conviction, Barak said Epstein continued to be treated in the United States as someone who had “paid his debt to society” and resumed public activity. He added that prominent figures in politics, business, academia, and culture maintained ties with Epstein during that period.
Barak said the reopening of the investigation in 2019 marked a clear break, as the scale and gravity of Epstein’s crimes became widely known. “That was the turning point,” he said, when broad circles cut off contact.
Admission of regret
Barak did not deny maintaining relations with Epstein after 2008. He acknowledged exchanging emails, attending meetings, and making repeated visits to Epstein’s New York apartment.
“I am responsible for all my actions and decisions,” Barak said. “There is room to ask whether I should have checked more deeply. I regret not doing so.”
Epstein island visit
Barak rejected claims of repeated visits to Epstein’s private island, saying he went there only once for about three hours, during daylight, accompanied by his wife and three security guards. He said he saw only Epstein and several workers.
Read more: US commerce secretary faces calls to resign over Epstein island visit
He added that even if additional documents emerge about their relationship, which he said lasted more than 15 years, they would not show “any criminal, illegal, or improper act.”
Political fallout
On January 30, US authorities released a new batch of Epstein-related files. Epstein was found dead in his New York jail cell in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal charges of sex trafficking of minors.
The documents reference high-profile figures from around the world. Barak’s name appears multiple times, and photographs show him at Epstein’s New York apartment. Media reports have also cited past investment ties between the two men.
In ‘Israel’, right-wing political figures have used the revelations to question Barak’s ethics, particularly as he presents himself as a leading critic of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government.
