In anticipation of Monday, November 27, Elon Musk, a billionaire facing allegations from civil rights groups regarding the propagation of anti-Jewish sentiments on his platform X (formerly Twitter), is gearing up for a meeting with Israeli President Isaac Herzog. The encounter will extend to include individuals with family members held by Hamas in Gaza. Emphasizing the urgency of addressing the surging online antisemitism, Herzog’s office disclosed this intent.
Despite outreach through Tesla and X representatives, Musk has maintained silence. His visit aligns with a temporary four-day truce in the Israeli conflict with Palestinian Hamas militants in Gaza, marking the return of 40 hostages out of the 240 reportedly held by Hamas.
Further engagements for Musk include an anticipated meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, building upon their previous encounter in California on September 18. At that time, Netanyahu urged Musk to navigate the delicate balance between preserving free expression and combating hate speech on X. Musk asserted his stance against antisemitism and hate speech, reaffirming X’s commitment to eschew the promotion of such content.
On November 15, Musk stirred controversy by endorsing a post on X that falsely claimed Jewish people were instigating hatred against white individuals. The fallout was swift, with condemnation from the White House and major U.S. companies hitting pause on their advertisements on Musk’s social media platform.
The post in question alluded to the “Great Replacement” conspiracy theory, asserting that Jewish people and leftists are orchestrating the replacement of white populations with non-white immigrants, purportedly leading to a “white genocide.” Criticism ensued, with the White House categorically denouncing its promotion as “antisemitic and racist hate.”
Musk has positioned X as a bastion for diverse viewpoints while committing to curtail the distribution of posts violating its policies. He underscores this approach as “freedom of speech, not reach.” Simultaneously, Musk is deeply involved in the development of an artificial intelligence startup, with Israel garnering recognition as a global leader in the field, thanks to its burgeoning computing and robotics industries.
