Elon Musk Meets Netanyahu, Pledges Support for Israel

November 27, 2023

Billionaire Elon Musk (L) with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (C) in an Israeli 'kibbutz'. (Photo: via Prime Minister of Israel TW Page)

By Palestine Chronicle Staff  

The billionaire owner of the X platform, Elon Musk, has met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Tel Aviv, expressing support for Israel’s actions in the current conflict, saying it had “no choice” but to destroy Hamas.

Meanwhile, a campaign has been started on X (formerly Twitter), with the hashtag #ElonGoToGaza, urging Musk to visit the besieged Gaza Strip where Israel’s assault on the enclave has left more than 14,854 Palestinian civilians dead.

Musk toured with Netanyahu, on Monday, one of the kibbutz locations that the Palestinian Resistance Movement Hamas infiltrated on October 7. 

Following the tour, Musk said in a conversation with Netanyahu on X Spaces that “it was jarring to see one of the scenes of the massacre” adding that Israel has also killed civilians in Gaza “but there is an important difference here which is that Israel tries to avoid killing civilians…”

Netanyahu said Israel’s mission is to destroy Hamas, “if you want peace, destroy Hamas, if you want security, destroy Hamas, if you want a better life, destroy Hamas.” Musk agreed, saying “There’s no choice.”

The visit follows controversy that Musk recently faced after commenting “the actual truth” on a post, deemed anti-Semitic, that suggested Jewish people are stoking “hatred against whites.”    

Musk has denied allegations of anti-Semitism, threatening suspension of users on his social media platform who advocate “for the genocide of any group.” In a post on X, Musk said “decolonization”, “from the river to the sea” and similar euphemisms necessarily imply genocide”.

The SpaceX and Tesla owner is set to meet Israeli President Isaac Herzog as well. Hertzog’s office reportedly said in a statement that the president will “emphasize the need to act to combat rising antisemitism online.” 

X Corp is reportedly 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, a Jewish advocacy group, over its claims that problematic and racist speech has soared on the site since he completed his $44bn takeover.

Also on Monday, Israel announced it had struck an agreement “in principle” to use SpaceX’s Starlink communications channel in Gaza.

Israeli Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi said, “as a result of this agreement, Starlink satellite units can only be operated in Israel with the approval of the Israeli Ministry of Communications, including the Gaza Strip.”

The minister had previously dismissed the idea of opening up Starlink to Gaza because of fears Hamas would use it for “terrorist activities,” Al Jazeera reports.

In concluding their conversation on X Spaces, Netanyahu expressed “hope” that Musk would be involved in “rebuilding Gaza … after we defeat Hamas” to which the billionaire businessman replied “I’d love to help.” 

(The Palestine Chronicle)