Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett dismissed allegations that convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein worked for Israeli intelligence services, describing the claims from U.S. media figures as being part of “a vicious wave of slander and lies” against Israel.

Ex-Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett rebuked Tucker Carlson over his claim that the alleged sex pest Jeffrey Epstein led a blackmail campaign on behalf of the Mossad. Bennett, 53, characterized the conspiratorial remarks from Carlson—and others on the right—as a “vicious wave of slander and lies” against Israel.

Bennett's remark comes after Carlson claimed the week before that Epstein had worked with Israel to blackmail the U.S. and that “every single person in Washington D.C.” thinks the same.