TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak publicly apologized for maintaining a yearslong friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. This relationship involved regular correspondence, multiple visits to Epstein's Manhattan apartment, and a trip to his private island. In an exclusive interview with Israel's Channel 12, Barak expressed regret for ever knowing Epstein, saying he is sorry for those who feel "deeply uncomfortable" due to his association with the disgraced financier.
Barak, who has not been implicated in Epstein's sexual abuse of underage girls and faces no accusations of wrongdoing, acknowledged the responsibility for his actions. He stated, "There is definitely room to ask if there wasn’t room for more in-depth judgment on my part and a more thorough examination of what the details really are, what exactly happened there."
The ties between Barak and Epstein were highlighted in documents released by the U.S. Justice Department, revealing that Barak is among several political, business, and cultural elites who maintained relationships with Epstein even after he pleaded guilty in 2008 to soliciting prostitution from an underage girl in Florida. Epstein died by suicide in 2019 while awaiting trial on allegations of sexually abusing and trafficking numerous girls.
Barak has previously distanced himself from Epstein but revisited these topics following the release of millions of pages of documents related to Epstein's investigations. The documents confirm regular contact between Barak and Epstein, even after Epstein's 2008 plea deal that led to an 18-month prison sentence.
In his interview, Barak noted that he flew on Epstein's private plane and stayed at his New York apartment when he was out of public office. He explained that he and his wife, Nili, along with security guards, visited Epstein's home in the U.S. Virgin Islands but only encountered Epstein and maintenance workers. Barak claimed he never witnessed any inappropriate behavior and assumed Epstein had paid his debt to society after the initial case.
Barak recounted that it was not until 2019, when a reinvestigation of Epstein's actions began, that the full extent of Epstein's crimes became known. He stated, "Only then do I cut off relations with him, and everyone cuts off relations with him." Barak served as Israel's prime minister from 1999 to 2001, during which time he was involved in high-level peace talks with the Palestinians. He later held the position of defense minister.
The revelations about Barak's connections to Epstein emerged when he announced a political comeback in an unsuccessful attempt to challenge current Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. At that time, his ties to the Wexner Foundation, of which Epstein was a trustee, came under scrutiny when U.S. tax records indicated that Barak received around $2 million in grants for unspecified research over the previous decade.
Despite the new documents indicating regular communication with Epstein, Barak downplayed their importance, asserting that Epstein "didn’t support me or pay me." The correspondence details plans for visits, among other mundane exchanges. Notably, in June 2019, an email from Nili Barak to Epstein indicated delays in their travel plans to New York, while another from Epstein’s assistant referred to a dinner involving Barak and prominent figures, including filmmaker Woody Allen.
In a discussion regarding Barak, Epstein mentioned to an unknown person: "I’m dealing with Ehud in Israel. Making me crazy." The documents also show that Epstein attempted to connect Barak with former U.S. President Donald Trump’s adviser, Steve Bannon, to facilitate Bannon's interest in Israeli politics. However, Bannon has not been implicated in any wrongdoing associated with Epstein.
In conclusion, Barak stated that further information is likely to emerge from the released documents but reiterated that he had conducted himself within legal and ethical bounds. "I promise you that nothing will be discovered, because there is nothing," he asserted.
