Billionaire tycoon Elon Musk, who has been accused of platforming anti-Semitic content material on his social media platform X, on Monday met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu throughout his visit to Israel.
Accompanied by Netanyahu, the tech billionaire additionally visited a kibbutz that was raided by Hamas fighters on October 7, throughout an assault that left 1,200 folks lifeless and triggered Israel’s deadliest-ever navy assault on Gaza. Practically 15,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israel’s bombardment of the coastal enclave.
Musk was mentioned to have backed Israel’s struggle on Gaza after the journey that got here in the course of the truce between Hamas and Israel.
Musk additionally agreed to not present web entry to Gaza by means of his satellite tv for pc firm Starlink with out Israeli approval.
Here’s what to find out about Musk’s go to to Israel and its significance.
Why did Elon Musk go to Israel?
Musk’s go to to Israel, which got here amid a truce between Hamas and Israel, follows backlash in opposition to a put up on X that many have labelled as anti-Semitic, triggering a wave of commercial withdrawals from the platform by company giants similar to Apple and IBM, probably costing X hundreds of thousands of {dollars}.
Earlier this month, Musk agreed with a social media put up accusing Jewish folks of pushing “dialectical hatred” in opposition to white folks. Musk’s remarks acquired condemnation in america from the White Home for being “abhorrent”.
Musk has additionally been accused of permitting ads from main firms subsequent to neo-Nazi and white nationalist content material.
X can be going through a probe from the European Union into the unfold of disinformation and violent content material about Israel’s struggle on Gaza.
Musk has both criticised or denied findings from organisations such because the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and the Middle for Countering Digital Hate that X has witnessed a rise in hate speech since he turned CEO final 12 months.
X has sued Media Issues after accusing the media watchdog of manipulating an algorithm to drive away advertisers.
The watchdog has referred to as the lawsuit “frivolous”.
The place did Musk go and what did he say in the course of the journey?
Escorted by Netanyahu and different safety personnel, Musk toured the Kfar Aza kibbutz, attacked by Hamas fighters on October 7. He was additionally proven footage of the Hamas assault and met a few of the households of individuals taken into captivity from Israel.
“It was jarring to see the scene of the massacre,” mentioned Musk later in an X Areas dialog with Netanyahu, including Israel has “no choice” however to get rid of Hamas.
Within the transient life-streamed dialog on X, Musk and Netanyahu agreed that Hamas must be eradicated – a mission that Israel has used as justification for its navy offensive that has claimed overwhelmingly civilian lives.
“You first have to get rid of the poisonous regime as you did in Germany, as you did in Japan. Yeah, in World War II,” mentioned Netanyahu.
Musk replied, “There’s no choice. There’s no choice.”
Israeli President Isaac Herzog instructed Musk throughout a gathering that he had an enormous function to play within the world struggle in opposition to anti-Semitism.
“We have to do whatever is necessary to stop the hate,” Musk replied, in accordance with a press release launched by Herzog’s workplace.
Why did Netanyahu escort him weeks after asking him to sentence anti-Semitism?
On the X area, Netanyahu mentioned that Musk’s go to to Israel factors to his solidarity with Israel.
“The fact that you came here, I think, speaks volumes to your commitment to try to secure a better future”, he mentioned.
Netanyahu reminded Musk that the final time they spoke, the 2 had a dialog about synthetic intelligence. He instructed the tech CEO that “great talents are available” in Israel and pointed to Israeli manufacturing of iPhones and operations of the navigation app, Waze.
Netanyahu beforehand met Musk in California on September 18 the place the Israeli prime minister urged him to strike a stability between defending free expression and preventing hate speech after weeks of controversy over anti-Semitism on X.
Musk responded by saying he was in opposition to anti-Semitism and in opposition to something that “promotes hate and conflict”, repeating his earlier statements that X wouldn’t promote hate speech.
An Israeli authorities supply described Monday’s go to as a follow-up to the September assembly.
Why Musk’s journey is being criticised?
Musk’s go to to Israel is being criticised by some supporters of Israel and Palestine.
Esther Solomon, editor-in-chief of the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, blasted Musk’s journey as a “PR visit” in a put up on X.
In an opinion piece on the information web site, Haaretz correspondent Ben Samuels additionally said Israel’s embrace of Musk is a “betrayal of Jews” and a “stain on Netanyahu’s legacy”.
Musk has additionally been questioned on-line for not visiting Gaza regardless of the deaths and destruction wrought on the territory by Israeli bombs.
Blatant antisemite & writer of antisemitism Elon Musk ought to be persona non grata in Israel. As a substitute, Netanyahu – plumbing new depths of amoral sycophancy – items him a PR go to to the kibbutzim devastated by Hamas. Profane, venal, bilious, each of themhttps://t.co/zGc10w8Y9H pic.twitter.com/XMkitJclUt
— Esther Solomon (@EstherSolomon) November 27, 2023
What has Musk determined about Starlink entry to Gaza?
Musk reached an agreement with Israel “in principle” that web entry to Gaza could also be supplied by means of Starlink, however solely utilizing models operated by Israel and with the approval of the Israeli Ministry of Communications.
In October, CEO Musk had mentioned that “Starlink will support connectivity to internationally recognised aid organisations in Gaza.”
As Gaza plunged into darkness after its communications blackout in October, social media customers pleaded with Musk to supply the besieged enclave with web entry by means of Starlink.
The corporate makes use of satellite tv for pc expertise as a substitute of cable expertise to supply web entry, and in addition got here to the help of Ukraine when the nation confronted its personal blackouts throughout its struggle with Russia.
Musk’s immediate provision of Starlink entry to Ukraine prompted folks to name him out for having “double standards” when it got here to Israel’s struggle on Gaza.
Israel has additionally beforehand opposed Starlink connectivity for Gaza, contesting that Hamas would use it for “terrorist activities”.
