TEL
AVIV — On Monday, tech billionaire Elon Musk met Israeli Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu, touring a settlement targeted during Israel’s war on
Gaza.
اضافة اعلان
The
visit comes amid controversy for Musk, who recently sparked outrage by calling
an anti-Semitic social media post – one promoting the conspiracy theory that
white people in the West are being “replaced” through immigration from the
Global South with the help of progressive Jews – “the actual truth.”
After
touring the settlement, Musk said in a conversation with the prime minister on
X Spaces that it was “jarring to see the scene of the massacre” and that Israel
has “no choice” but to eliminate Hamas, Al Jazeera reported.
The
trip comes on the fourth day of an ongoing truce between Israel and Hamas,
during which Israel is recovering dozens of captives in exchange for the
release of Palestinian prisoners.
Musk
is also scheduled to meet with Israeli President Isaac Herzog, whose office
said in a statement that the meeting would underscore “the need to act to
combat rising antisemitism online.”
Under
Musk’s tenure, critics have said that the social media platform X, formerly
known as Twitter, has seen a proliferation of hate speech and anti-Semitism
content, and several companies suspended advertising on the platform after a
report accused X of running their ads alongside content from neo-Nazis and
white nationalists.
X
Corp is currently suing non-profit Media Matters on the grounds that it has
driven away advertisers by portraying the site as rife with anti-Semitic
content.
Musk
has also threatened to file suit against the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), a
Jewish advocacy group, over its claims that problematic and racist speech has
soared on the site since he completed his $44bn takeover.
On
Monday, Israeli Communications Minister Shlomo Kathi disclosed that Israel had
reached an agreement, stating that “Starlink satellite units can only be
operated in Israel with the approval of the Israeli Ministry of Communications,
including the Gaza Strip.”
Over
a month ago, Musk was prompted by X users to address the telecommunications
disruption in Gaza caused by Israeli authorities. In response to the 'Starlink
in Gaza' campaign, which gained significant support, Musk pledged to offer
Starlink to internationally recognized aid organizations in Gaza. Some local
media reported that this move had stirred tensions with Israel. The campaign
emerged as a response to social media users highlighting the contrast in
providing Starlink support, as Ukraine received it early in the conflict.
In an
X post addressed to Musk, Karhi said he hoped the entrepreneur’s visit to
Israel “will serve as a springboard for future endeavors, as well as enhance
your relationship with the Jewish people and values we share with the entire
world.”
X has
been a key source of information and debate about Israel’s war on Gaza with
government officials, as well as pro-Israel and pro-Palestine users, sharing
content. However, critics say it has also amplified misinformation, conspiracy
theories, and hateful content, including anti-Semitism, during the conflict.
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