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Friday, February 6, 2026
Netanyahu: Epstein’s ties with Ehud Barak prove he didn’t work for Israel
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleLazar Berman is The Times of Israel's diplomatic reporter
Sex offender Jeffrey Epstein’s ties with former prime minister Ehud Barak prove that he wasn’t an Israeli agent, says Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on X.
“Jeffrey Epstein’s unusual close relationship with Ehud Barak doesn’t suggest Epstein worked for Israel,” he writes. “It proves the opposite.”
“Stuck on his election loss from over two decades ago, Barak has for years obsessively attempted to undermine Israeli democracy by working with the anti-Zionist radical left in failed attempts to overthrow the elected Israeli government,” writes Netanyahu.
The US Justice Department’s release of millions of internal documents related to Epstein revealed the late financier’s ties to many prominent people in politics, finance, academia and business, including Barak.
“Barak’s personal fixation led him to engage in activities publicly and behind the scenes to undermine the government of Israel, including fueling mass protest movements, fomenting unrest and feeding false media narratives,” says Netanyahu.
Conspiracy theories about Epstein working for the Mossad abound online.
Epstein pleaded guilty in 2008 to prostitution charges, including soliciting an underage girl.
He was arrested again in 2019 on federal charges of sex trafficking of minors. His death in a Manhattan jail cell that year was ruled a suicide.
The Times of Israel Community.