Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said former prime minister Ehud Barak's "unusual close relationship" with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein "doesn't suggest Epstein worked for Israel. 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," Netanyahu said in a post on X.
"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," he added.
Barak has emerged as one of the most outspoken supporters of mass protests against the government's contentious push to weaken the judiciary, warning that the proposed overhaul threatens the foundations of Israeli democracy.
He has repeatedly addressed rallies and media outlets, arguing that efforts to curb the Supreme Court's power and expand political control over judicial appointments would dismantle checks and balances and concentrate power in the hands of the ruling coalition.
Casting the protests as a civic duty, Barak has urged sustained, nonviolent resistance, saying the demonstrations are necessary to block what he has described as an unprecedented assault on democratic norms.
Netanyahu has repeatedly defended his government's controversial judicial reform plans amid protests, framing the changes as a mandate from voters and a necessary correction to the balance of power, while urging unity and responsible behavior from critics.
Barak, according to documents recently released by the U.S. Department of Justice, stayed at Epstein’s New York apartment multiple times.
A 2020 FBI document included in the Epstein files claims Epstein was ‘trained as a spy’ under Barak, though mainstream investigative journalism and official records have not supported those assertions.
Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
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