Jerusalem, July 12 -- Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak is playing down his ties with Jeffrey Epstein - the U.S. financier jailed on sex-trafficking charges.

Barak's connection with Epstein has emerged in Israel just days after the 78-year-old former premier announced his political comeback in a bid to unseat Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

According to U.S. tax records, Barak received some $2 million in grants last decade from the Wexner Foundation - a philanthropic organization that supports Jewish causes founded by U.S. billionaire Leslie Wexner.

The documents say the grants were for unspecified "research." At the time of the grants, Epstein was a trustee of the foundation. Netanyahu has accused the media of remaining "sil...