Many famous names have arisen in the latest drop of the notorious Epstein files, but there's a very specific reason why Zayn Malik, Emma Thompson and Stevie Wonder have been included.
A litany of high-profile figures from the past 30 years are being revealed in connection to the convicted pedophile financier, as people continue to pore through the three million documents released by the US Department of Justice on Friday (January 30).
That includes often outrageous emails sent between Jeffrey Epstein and influential people like Elon Musk, Peter Thiel, Steve Bannon, Larry Summers, Howard Lutnick, Steve Tisch, Noam Chomsky, and Ehud Barak.
Being included does not necessarily indicate any wrongdoing, it must be noted.
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Some of those famous faces mentioned, however - such as Zayn Malik, Emma Thompson, and Stevie Wonder - are mentioned in the massive tranche of files purely because of their personal beliefs, and not in direct correspondence.
In a pre-publication email sent to Epstein by the Jewish News Syndicate in 2014, these celebrities are included in a list of well-known people who the organization alleged held 'anti-Israel' views.
Malik was mentioned while he was still a member of the boyband One Direction, for 'posting the hashtag #FreePalestine on his Twitter amid the current conflict between Israel and llamas. Unlike singer Rihanna, who also posted the hashtag and then deleted it'.
The article adds that 'Malik kept his post online, garnering nearly 200,000 retweets'.
Meanwhile, British Love Actually star Thompson was included for joining a boycott against a performance by the Israeli Habima Theatre in London, due to the group's 'shameful record of involvement with illegal Israeli settlements in Occupied Palestinian Territory.'
Superstition singer Wonder's name was added to the list after he 'backed out of a performance at a Friends of the Israel Defense Forces (FIDF) gala in Los Angeles in 2012', which the email mentions followed a UN recommendation to not participate.
Importantly, this article was being sent amid the 2014 Israel-Gaza War, which killed 2000 Palestinian residents of the territory and six Israelis, spurring renewed humanitarian interest in the eight-decade conflict and occupation.
The email sent to Epstein alleges that these celebrities were making 'false accusations' about the state of Israel that were ultimately 'justifying the actions of the terrorist group Hamas'.
Epstein himself had been a lifelong supporter of Israel, often pictured wearing an Israel Defense Forces sweatshirt and a close confidante of former Prime Minister Ehud Barak, whose name is mentioned more than 4000 times in the files.
This includes emails exchanged between Barak and Epstein in the run-up to the 2016 presidential election, where the former leader asks the convicted pedophile if he can get Donald Trump to appear on Israeli news network Channel 10, as Hillary Clinton was due to be interviewed by a rival.
Barak said this could help sway 'huge percentage of Israelis and most US citizens in Israel' and added that Trump would be interviewed by 'their leading anchor, a gifted positive (blond) lady.'
The BBC reports that Barak has acknowledged his correspondence with Epstein, but said he 'never observed or participated in any inappropriate behaviour or parties'.
Topics: Jeffrey Epstein, Celebrity, Emma Thompson
William Morgan