The Israeli Prime Minister defended billionaire Elon Musk on Thursday, saying he had been “falsely defamed” after a gesture made at Donald Trump’s inauguration that critics described as a Nazi salute. “Elon is a great friend of Israel,” Benjamin Netanyahu posted on X, the social network owned by Musk.
The SpaceX and Tesla boss, whom President Trump appointed to cut US government spending, “has repeatedly and forcefully supported Israel’s right to defend itself against genocidal terrorists and regimes that seek to wipe out the one and only Jewish State,” added the Israeli Prime Minister.
He recalled Elon Musk’s visit to Israel in November 2023, shortly after the Hamas attack of October 7. This trip followed another dispute, during which the Tesla owner had already been accused of anti-Semitism.
Elon Musk at the time approved a post accusing Jewish people of “white hatred,” calling it “the exact truth.” He then apologized. His platform has also been accused of spreading anti-Semitism and other forms of racism since he took charge in 2022.
-During his visit to Israel, Elon Musk visited a kibbutz attacked by Hamas, alongside Netanyahu. He also met Israeli President Isaac Herzog, who reminded him of his “enormous role” in the fight against anti-Semitism.
During Donald Trump’s inauguration, Elon Musk hit his chest with his right hand, then extended his arm with an open palm. He then repeated the gesture, turning to the rest of the crowd behind him, before declaring: “My heart goes out to you.” The billionaire himself has already rejected criticism of this gesture, suggesting to his detractors to find “better dirty tricks”.
