Khaberni - In his first response after the revelation of thousands of documents and new recordings from the files of Jeffrey Epstein, former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak broke his silence, expressing his regret over continuing his relationship with Epstein after his first conviction in 2008.
In an interview with Israel's Channel 12, Barak justified his continued association with Epstein, claiming that no one - including the American political, economic, and academic elite - knew the extent of his crimes before the investigation was reopened in 2019.
"A Good Jew"
Barak said that he first met Epstein in 2003 during a major event in Washington, where former Israeli President Shimon Peres introduced them, saying: "This is a good Jew, I know him well."
Although Epstein was convicted in 2008 of soliciting a minor for prostitution, and served about a year in an open jail in Florida as a result of a plea deal, Barak stated that Epstein was treated in the United States at that time as a person who "paid his debt to society" and resumed his public activity.
He noted that prominent figures in politics, economics, academia, and cultural circles continued their relationship with him during that period.
Barak explained that the reopening of the investigation in 2019, and the subsequent exposure of the extent and seriousness of the crimes, "marked the turning point at which wide circles severed their connections with Epstein," according to him.
Admission of Regret
During the interview, Barak did not deny continuing his relationship with Epstein after his 2008 conviction, acknowledging that he exchanged emails with him, participated in meetings, and made repeated visits to his apartment in New York.
Barak admitted feeling regret, saying, "I am responsible for all my actions and decisions. There is room for questioning whether I should have verified deeper. I regret not doing so."
Visiting Epstein's Island
Also, Barak denied frequent visits to Epstein's island, affirming that it was "one visit" lasting 3 hours in broad daylight, accompanied by his wife and three guards, and he saw only Epstein and some workers, he said.
Barak asserted that even if new documents about his relationship with Epstein, which lasted more than 15 years, were to emerge, they would not "show any criminal, illegal, or inappropriate act."
On January 30 of the previous year, the US authorities published a group of files related to Epstein, who was found hanged in his cell in New York in 2019, while awaiting trial on charges of sex trafficking minors.
The files revealed the involvement of high-level figures from around the world in his crimes.
Barak's name appeared several times in the documents associated with Epstein, and photos showed him at Epstein's apartment in New York. Reports confirmed that the two men had investment relations.
In Israel, the right-wing camp used the case to question Barak's ethics and standards, especially since he presents himself as an opponent of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government.
