Elon Musk, Chief Executive Officer of SpaceX and Tesla and owner of X, formerly known as Twitter, attends the Viva Technology conference dedicated to innovation and startups at the Porte de Versailles exhibition centre in Paris, France, June 16, 2023. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes/File Photo
Elon Musk, the entrepreneur synonymous with social media, faced backlash for endorsing an anti-Jewish post, a move that drew criticism. Musk, the influential figure behind the X platform, Tesla, and SpaceX, visited the site of the Hamas assault on Israel, expressing his commitment to combating the dissemination of hatred.
During his visit, Musk viewed compiled footage from various sources, including Hamas bodycams and CCTV, depicting the October 7 Hamas killing spree, which Israel claims resulted in 240 people being taken captive back to Gaza. Musk engaged in a live online conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on X Spaces and met with families of some of the hostages.
Musk had courted controversy earlier when he endorsed a post on X that falsely claimed Jewish people were fostering hatred against white individuals, aligning with the “Great Replacement” conspiracy theory. This theory alleges that Jewish people and leftists are orchestrating the replacement of white populations with non-white immigrants, leading to a supposed “white genocide.”
Following Musk’s endorsement, major U.S. companies, including Walt Disney, Warner Bros Discovery, and NBCUniversal parent Comcast, suspended their advertisements on X, formerly known as Twitter. The White House condemned Musk’s actions as an “abhorrent promotion of antisemitic and racist hate,” contrary to American values.
In a meeting with families of hostages held in Gaza, Musk, alongside Israeli President Isaac Herzog, emphasized the need to combat hate. Musk acknowledged the impact of propaganda on shaping beliefs, particularly when individuals are exposed to falsehoods from childhood.
In the wake of the Gaza war, incidents of antisemitism in the United States surged nearly 400%, according to the Anti-Defamation League. Musk, advocating for diverse viewpoints on X, reiterated the platform’s commitment to freedom of speech while acknowledging limitations on the distribution of posts that violate policies.
During the X Spaces discussion with Netanyahu, Musk expressed agreement with the necessity of destroying Hamas, a stated war goal for Israel, as a prerequisite for potential peace with the Palestinians. Musk outlined three essential steps he believed were crucial in the Gaza situation: addressing those who insist on murdering civilians, educating the new generation against violence, and working towards building prosperity.
The visit to Israel also marked a follow-up to Musk and Netanyahu’s earlier meeting in California, where the Israeli Prime Minister urged a balance between free expression and combating hate speech on X. Musk reiterated his stance against antisemitism and anything promoting hate and conflict.
In a recent proposal during the conflict, Musk suggested using Starlink to support communication links in Gaza. Initially met with objections from Israeli Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi, who cited concerns about potential terrorist use, an agreement in principle was reportedly reached on Monday. Karhi expressed hope that Musk’s visit would foster future collaboration and strengthen the relationship with the Jewish people.
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