Netanyahu: ‘Epstein Didn’t Work For Israel’

CrossFireArabia
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February 7, 2026

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu used the renewed focus on the Epstein files to attack his predecessor Ehud Barak, saying that Jeffrey Epstein “did not work for Israel.”

The Jerusalem Post daily reported that Barak’s ties to Epstein received extensive media attention after the two met several times in 2015 and 2016, years after Epstein’s first criminal conviction. Photos circulated at the time showed Barak entering Epstein’s Manhattan residence in New York.

In his first public comment on the Epstein documents, Netanyahu wrote on US social media company X that Epstein’s “unusual close relationship with Ehud Barak 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,” he added, referring to his own administration.

Netanyahu accused Barak of engaging “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,” according to Anadolu.

Barak has been a vocal critic of Netanyahu for years and has repeatedly called for the government’s removal.

In mid-2025, Barak joined about 3,000 Israeli medical and health professionals in signing petitions urging the government to secure the return of captives held by Palestinian factions in Gaza, even if it required halting the war that began on Oct. 8, 2023, and lasted two years.

On Friday, US Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche announced the release of more than 3 million additional files to the public as part of the Epstein investigations.

Epstein, an American financier accused of running a large-scale sex trafficking operation involving underage girls, some as young as 14, was found dead in a New York jail in 2019 while in custody.

The case files include the names of numerous high-profile figures, among them the former British prince Andrew, former US President Bill Clinton, current US President Donald Trump, former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak, singer Michael Jackson, and former New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson.

CrossFireArabia

Dr. Marwan Asmar holds a PhD from Leeds University and is a freelance writer specializing on the Middle East. He has worked as a journalist since the early 1990s in Jordan and the Gulf countries, and been widely published, including at Albawaba, Gulf News, Al Ghad, World Press Review and others.

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Israeli Official: ‘Life in The North is Dead’

CrossFireArabia
March 15, 2026

Head of the Israeli Regional Council Moshe Davidovich expressed sorrow over the situation in the north, saying: “It’s a feeling we’ve experienced before, and we wish we could be rid of it.”

In an interview published by Israel’s Channel 14 on Sunday, Davidovich noted that “the residents of the north have been displaced and subjected to relentless shelling for nearly two years.”

Following the increasing number of Israeli soldiers injured in attacks by the Islamic Resistance in Lebanon in response to the aggression, Davidovich called on his government to take action to “minimize casualties.”

He also raised another important point, saying: “Everyone is now embracing the residents of the north and saying they are with us, but at the same time I hear that the government intends to cut the north’s budget.” He asked: “How can this be?” describing the Tel Aviv government’s actions toward its own residents as “neglect.”

Life in the North is Nearly Dead

Davidovich addressed the head of the occupation government, Benjamin Netanyahu, and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, saying: “People here are unemployed, agriculture is nearly dead, and tourism has come to a standstill,” urging them to take action and not simply ignore the situation.

He criticized his government’s intention to “cut budgets,” saying: “We give generously, but I don’t want to hear that word. It’s inappropriate and incorrect, and ultimately, it represents a law that harms us.”

Regarding the settlers in northern occupied Palestine, Davidovich said it is not right for them to remain there, describing the situation as difficult after two arduous years, adding that a recurring scene is their “descending to shelters.”

Israel Surprised by Hezbollah’s Response

Israeli media outlets report that the “political leaders” in the occupation government are shocked by Hezbollah’s response and feel powerless in the face of it.

Other media outlets report that “living in the north is not easy, and the situation is more complex than it was during the 2023-2024 war,” while Yedioth Ahronoth asserts that Hezbollah is neither disintegrating nor collapsing, and consistently succeeds in maintaining an organized chain of command and control.

The Israeli newspaper Maariv acknowledges that the party “remains alive and active, launching rockets even deep into Israeli territory, and is not firing indiscriminately.”

Channel 12 admits that the Israeli army was surprised by Hezbollah’s attack despite warnings, and that its soldiers’ assessments of the party’s capabilities were incorrect. JO24

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