Elon Musk donned a bulletproof vest to accompany Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on a tour of a kibbutz devastated by Hamas attacks on October 7 as the tech mogul fights accusations that he is anti-Semitic.
After struggling to correct his endorsement of an anti-Semitic conspiracy theory with a series of X posts insisting he wants “a prosperous and exciting future for everyone,” Musk will embark on a trip to Israel that will be packed with meetings with Israeli leaders and families. of the hostages held by Hamas in Gaza.
The 52-year-old CEO of Tesla and SpaceX appeared in a bulletproof vest that looked too small for his 6-foot-2-inch frame, alongside Netanyahu and a group of military officers in Kfar Aza, where dozens of people were killed and many others. They were kidnapped.
Clips from the kibbutz showed several bullet casings inside a Youtube video shared by the Prime Minister on Monday.
This was reportedly the home of Abigail Edan, the four-year-old American girl with dual citizenship taken hostage by Hamas on October 7 and released on Sunday as part of a delicate ceasefire agreement.
Other images showed Musk taking a photo with his iPhone of burning houses and joining a somber Netanyahu as he entered a house whose roof was riddled with bullet holes.
On Monday morning, Musk and Netanyahu also held a 20-minute live discussion on X about the war, which more than 218,000 users tuned in to.
Netanyahu began the conversation by detailing the duo’s trip to Kfar Aza, located just three miles east of Gaza City, and a film they watched afterwards about the events of October 7.
“It was jarring to see the massacre scene, or one of the massacre scenes,” Musk said.
“In that film it was especially disturbing to see the joy experienced by people who were killing innocent civilians, including children and babies. “Defenseless people,” added the billionaire.
During the remainder of his trip to Israel, Musk plans to meet with Israeli President Isaac Herzog, as well as relatives of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, to discuss “the need for action to combat growing anti-Semitism online,” the agency said. Herzog’s office.
Musk is also expected to speak with Israeli government officials about establishing Starlink communications in the Gaza Strip, which he proposed implementing last month as the region faces wartime blackouts.
At the time, Israeli communicator Shlomo Karhi objected, saying that “Hamas will use it (Starlink) for terrorist activities.”
In an unexpected turn of events, Karhi said on Monday that Israel and Musk had reached an agreement in principle whereby “Starlink satellite units can only be operated in Israel with the approval of the Israeli Ministry of Communications, including the Gaza Strip.” Loop”. Reuters reported.
Netanyahu reportedly shared the same sentiment when he last met with Musk in California on September 18.
The Prime Minister urged Musk to strike a balance between protecting free expression and combating hate speech after weeks of controversy over anti-Semitism in X.
In the weeks since, Musk has come under fire for his endorsement of an anti-Semitic conspiracy theory earlier this month.
Musk’s supportive response to Post X, which claimed Jewish communities promote “anti-white hate,” sparked immediate outrage and condemnation, including from the White House.
Around the same time, left-wing news watchdog Media Matters for America released a report claiming that X displays ads from major corporations like Apple, Comcast and IBM alongside pro-Nazi content.
The Musk-owned platform has since filed a “thermonuclear lawsuit” against Media Matters over its alleged quest to “drive advertisers from the platform and destroy X Corp.,” according to court documents filed last week in federal court. from Texas.
“Last week, there were hundreds of false stories in the media claiming that I am anti-Semitic. Could not be farther from the truth. I wish only the best for humanity and a prosperous and exciting future for all.” musk posted to X earlier this month in response to the backlash.
And although he has not yet shared posts about his visit to Israel, tweeted on Monday: “Actions speak louder than words.”
Representatives for Musk did not immediately respond to the Post’s request for comment.
