Ehud Barak, damaged by Epstein scandal, lashes out in all directions

Barak took aim at Netanyahu, his son and others in an attempt to deflect attention from his ties to billionaire pedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

By David Isaac, World Israel News 

Ehud Barak blasted Benjamin Netanyahu, Netanyahu’s son, and others at a press conference in Tel Aviv on Wednesday in the wake of a damaging report linking him to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.

Barak’s press conference was meant to celebrate the launch of his newly founded Israel Democratic Party. Instead, he went on the offensive to try and dull the effect of a report that appeared in Britain’s The Daily Mail, which seemed to suggest that he took part in the type of sexual escapades of which Epstein stands accused.

(Barak’s lawyers have already threatened to sue The Daily Mail if it doesn’t take down the story and refrain from printing similar ones.)

At the press conference, Barak hinted that Netanyahu was responsible for the tabloid’s report, which shows him entering one of Epstein’s New York mansions in January 2016 with his face hidden by a scarf.

“The campaign of incitement and present smears only strengthen my determination  to remove this malicious inciter from ruling our country,” Barak said.

Barak also attacked Netanyahu’s son, Yair, whom he called “A lecher and inciter, a parasite who gets Shin Bet protection.” (In 2018, an embarrassing recording of Yair emerged from 2015 when he was hopping between strip clubs in Tel Aviv.)

Barak then attacked Deputy Health Minister Yaakov Litzman of the United Torah Judaism party, saying “He’s a senior minister who is accused of serially covering up for pedophiles and he’s one of the closest people to Netanyahu.” Litzman came under police investigation in February for suspicion of falsifying a psychiatric report to prevent the extradition of a sex offender to Australia.

Barak also directed fire at Natan Eshel, a former chief of staff of Netanyahu, calling him a “sex offender who was permanently removed from public service and continues to be his confidante and coalition builder.”

He brought up the memory of Yitzhak Rabin, indirectly suggesting a connection between the incitement against himself and the assassinated prime minister.

Yossi Verter of Ha’aretz described Barak’s performance as “an impulsive, self-pitying and almost desperate event, aimed at stopping the mudslide that was threatening his effort – his last, one assumes – to return to the political stage.”

Barak is feeling the heat after the British tabloid published pictures of him on Tuesday entering Epstein’s New York mansion the same day four young women also entered.

The former Israeli prime minister maintained business relations with Epstein even after the latter was convicted of soliciting a minor for prostitution in 2008 and forced to register as a sex offender.

Barak claims that he didn’t know that the conviction involved a minor and told The Daily Beast, “I never attended a party with him,” and, “I never met Epstein in the company of women or young girls.”

The pictures appear to contradict his statement.

Barak already faced questions about the nature of his business dealings with Epstein. The Wexner Foundation, of which Epstein is a trustee, paid Barak $2.3 million for a “study” never published on a topic never revealed. Ha’aretz reports that such sums were not spent on other research by the foundation.

Benjamin NetanyahuEhud BarakIsraeli elections 2019Yair Netanyahu