Epstein’s writings: The chatter surrounding convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and his dealings with the prominent and wealthy refuses to die down. This time it concerns his ties to former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and whether Epstein worked for the Mossad, Israel’s intelligence agency. Senior government officials in Israel, including Prime Minister Isaac Herzog, rejected such theories, Fox News reported on February 15.
The US Department of Justice (DOJ) released over three million pages related to the Epstein files. The files, believed to be the latest tranche of documents released on January 30, named several high-profile figures.
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Israeli officials deny the claims
According to Fox News, former officials with ties to the intelligence agency clarified that Epstein never worked for the Mossad and called the allegations baseless and inconsistent with how the Mossad operates.
The claims were dismissed by Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu, who appealed to X to deny the claims.
Netanyahu wrote: “Jeffrey Epstein’s unusually close relationship with Ehud Barak does not indicate that Epstein worked for Israel. It proves the opposite.” He escalated his criticism, adding: “Barak, clinging to his electoral defeat of more than two decades ago, has spent years obsessively trying to undermine Israeli democracy by collaborating with the anti-Zionist radical left in unsuccessful attempts to overthrow the elected Israeli government.
Naftali Bennett, who was the country’s prime minister from 2021 to 2022, also denied the allegations. He wrote on X: “As a former Prime Minister of Israel, with Mossad reporting directly to me, I tell you with 100% certainty: The accusation that Jeffrey Epstein was in any way working for Israel or that Mossad ran an extortion ring is categorically and completely false. Epstein’s behavior, both criminal and just despicable, had nothing to do with Epstein or Israel. Mossad.”
Yossi Cohen, the former Mossad director, also made the claims, saying Epstein had “absolutely nothing” to do with the country’s intelligence agency. He went on to say, “not an agent, not an operative, nothing.”
The denial comes amid intense renewed scrutiny of emails, financial records and communications contained in materials shared by the Justice Department.
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The Epstein-Barak Correspondence
Barak, who was Israel’s prime minister from 1999 to 2001, expressed regret over his meeting and association with Jeffrey Epstein. In a statement to Fox News, Barak’s office said he had repeatedly expressed regret for meeting with Epstein, adding that there were no credible allegations that the former prime minister had engaged in any illegal or inappropriate behavior.
Barak said: “On my occasional visits to the United States, I have sometimes attended breakfast, lunch or dinner at his New York townhouse with distinguished American public figures,” Barak said. “At no point in my dealings with him did I ever witness any inappropriate behavior, and I certainly never participated in anything of the sort.”
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The newly released materials detail Barak’s personal and professional interactions with Epstein, including visits to Epstein’s New York apartment and meetings brokered by the financier.
Newly released documents indicate that Barak and his then-wife Nava Barak stayed at Epstein’s New York mansion during trips to the United States. Additional memos point to financial connections and introductions Epstein prepared, including meetings with prominent business leaders. The records also include internal correspondence referring to allegations, warnings and speculation related to Epstein’s behavior.