Elon Musk faces Israel's call to tackle anti-semitism

In a high-profile meeting on Monday, Israel’s President Isaac Herzog conveyed to tech mogul Elon Musk the urgent need for action against the alleged proliferation of anti-Semitism on Musk’s social media platform, X, formerly known as Twitter.

Musk’s visit to a kibbutz community targeted by Hamas attacks on October 7 set the stage for discussions on combatting hate speech and addressing the aftermath of the devastating assaults.

The meeting followed Musk’s encounters with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and defense officials, where discussions delved into the security aspects of artificial intelligence. Criticism against Musk has intensified since he took over X in October 2022, with the White House accusing him of “abhorrent promotion” of anti-Semitism for endorsing a conspiracy theory deemed harmful to Jewish communities.

President Herzog, addressing Musk directly, stated, “Unfortunately, we are inundated by anti-Semitism, which is Jew hatred. You have a huge role to play, and I think we need to fight it together because on the platforms which you lead, unfortunately, there’s a harboring of a lot of… anti-Semitism.”

Despite not directly addressing anti-Semitism in his released video remarks, Musk commented on the influence of propaganda on Hamas militants, emphasizing the need to counter misinformation.

The discussion also touched upon the recent Hamas attacks on October 7, where militants breached Gaza’s border into southern Israel, resulting in significant casualties and hostages. Israel responded with a relentless bombardment and ground invasion, leading to a temporary truce in effect since Friday.

Earlier in the day, Netanyahu and Musk explored the “security aspects of artificial intelligence,” aiming to strategize amid the evolving technological landscape. Talks on X followed their tour of Kfar Aza, one of the communities attacked by Hamas.

Netanyahu outlined his vision for the region, stating the need to “demilitarize Gaza after the destruction of Hamas” and initiate efforts to “deradicalize” the Palestinian territory. He expressed hopes of resuming U.S.-mediated normalization talks with Saudi Arabia post-Hamas’s defeat.

In a noteworthy development, Israel’s Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi revealed an understanding in principle on the use of Starlink satellites, operated by Musk’s SpaceX, in Israel and the Gaza Strip. Starlink, a satellite network providing internet to remote locations, could prove crucial in areas with disabled communications infrastructure.