Elon Musk insists his trip to Israel was ‘not an apology tour’ – but admits amplifying anti-Semitic post on X was one of the most ‘foolish’ things he’s ever done
- Musk, 52, appeared at the DealBook Summit on Wednesday in New York City
- The X owner said that his trip to Israel on Monday was not ‘an apology tour’
- Musk on November 15 agreed with an anti-Semitic post, and then apologized
Elon Musk on Wednesday denied that his trip to Israel this week was ‘an apology tour’, despite the visit coinciding with a furore about his backing an anti-Semitic post.
The world’s richest man was in Israel on Monday, meeting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and seeing the sites of the October 7 terror attack for himself.
Musk has faced a storm of controversy after his November 15 support for a post declaring that Jewish people supported immigration from developing countries to the West, which would see themselves outnumbered and was therefore ill-advised.
Musk said the ‘replacement theory’ post spoke ‘the actual truth’.
He apologized on November 19, and insisted he was not anti-Semitic, but companies pulled their advertising in protest – a move which internal documents suggested could cost X as much as $75 million.
Musk on Wednesday, speaking at the DealBook Summit hosted by The New York Times, said the post was ‘one of the most foolish things’ he had ever done – but insisted his visit to Israel was not to pay penance for his remarks.
Yet an hour before Musk was seen being shown through a devastated kibbutz in the southern part of the country, he tweeted: ‘Actions speak louder than words’ – an apparent swipe at his critics.
Elon Musk on Wednesday insisted that his visit to Israel two days previously was not ‘an apology tour’
‘The trip to Israel was independent of the post – it was not like some apology tour,’ he said.
‘I want to be clear. It was independent of that. It was not in response to it at all.’
During his visit to Israel, he promised continued support for the country in its retaliation against Hamas, while promoting the idea of a ‘prosperous future’ for Gaza.
Musk’s unusual visit to Israel began Monday morning, during a four-day pause to the fighting, and saw him hold a live online discussion with Netanyahu.
Hearing Netanyahu describe the destruction of Hamas – which Israel has set as a war goal – as necessary for any prospective peace with the Palestinians, Musk expressed his general agreement.
‘There’s no choice,’ said Musk, who also owns Tesla and SpaceX. ‘I’d like to help as well.’
The visit also comes in the wake of the release of Jewish hostages by Hamas, including four-year-old American-Israeli Abigail Edan.
‘Those that are intent on murder must be neutralized,’ Musk said. ‘The propaganda must stop that is training people to be murderers in the future. And then, making Gaza prosperous. And if that happens, I think it will be a good future.’
On the same day as Musk’s visit, the Qatari government announced that the truce in the conflict had been extended by two more days.
As part of his visit to Israel, Musk was shown a 44 minute long film detailing the atrocities that took place on October 7
The Tesla founder was shown a baby’s crib that now contains expelled gun shells from the terror attack
Earlier this month, Musk was roundly criticized for his response to this message on X
An hour before Musk was seen being shown through the devastated area, he tweeted: ‘Actions speak louder than words,’ an apparent swipe at his critics
Less than two weeks ago, Musk replied to a social media post featuring an anti-Semitic conspiracy theory calling it ‘the actual truth.’
During his conversation with Netanyahu, Musk called his visit to the war-torn areas of Israel as ‘jarring’ and described the videos he was shown of the attack as ‘troubling.’
The prime minister used much of the conversation to justify the bombardment of Gaza with Musk saying that it was vital to ‘get rid of the ones who are hellbent on murdering Jewish people while also brining up the need to minimize civilian casualties.
The SpaceX founder is also working with Israeli officials to allow Starlink, his service that provides internet access to areas that typically do not have it, to operate in Gaza.
Government officials banned its use, alleging that it was not be used by aid workers but rather by Hamas terrorists.
Israel’s communications minister Shlomo Karhi tweeted on Monday that an ‘understanding is vital’ between Musk and his department in order for Starlink to become operational.
Moment four-year-old American citizen Abigail Edan is reunited with her family after being released from Hamas captivity – 49 days after her parents were killed by terrorists
In an X post addressed to Musk, Karhi said he hoped the visit to Israel ‘will serve as a springboard for future endeavours, as well as enhance your relationship with the Jewish people and values we share with the entire world’.
Earlier on Monday, Musk walked with Netanyahu through the Kfar Aza kibbutz, where 62 people were murdered by Hamas terrorists on October 7.
In a video released by the Israeli government, Musk is shown in a small flak jacket solemnly listening as a member of the IDF explains how the terror unfolded on that fateful day. The South African remains silent, stopping only to take pictures of the ravaged community.
Kfar Aza was among the 20 or so kibbutz that were ransacked and assaulted by Hamas. Among the homes visited by Musk was that of the community’s security chief Ofir Libstein, who died while trying to repel Hamas terrorists.
Since the barbaric assault perpetrated by Hamas, Musk has faced waves of criticism for turning a blind eye to anti-Semitism on X, formerly known as Twitter. That criticism has led to a reported loss in ad revenue.
In a particularly poignant moment, the Tesla founder was shown a baby’s crib that now contains expelled terrorist gunshot shells.
Musk was also told about Mor Edan, the Israeli-American who was just released yesterday after spending six weeks in captivity after her parents were slaughtered by gunmen. On Monday, she was reunited with her aunt.
Netanyahu and Musk inside one of the homes that now lies empty in Kfar Aza
Four-year-old orphan Abigail Mor Edan was released Sunday after 49 days in captivity, she celebrated her birthday as a hostage, on Monday Musk was shown her former home
‘Netanyahu showed Musk the horrors of the massacre in the kibbutz from the events of the Saturday of October 7,’ a statement from the prime minister’s office read.
‘Musk heard the story of the heroism of the late Ofir Liebstein, the head of the regional council who was murdered on the morning of October 7 in an exchange of fire with terrorists who infiltrated the kibbutz,’ the release also said.
Netanyahu last met with Musk in California on September 18 and urged him to strike a balance between protecting free expression and fighting hate speech after weeks of controversy over anti-Semitic content on X.
Musk responded by saying he was against antisemitism and against anything that ‘promotes hate and conflict,’ repeating his previous statements that X would not promote hate speech.
Antisemitism and Islamophobia have risen in the United States and worldwide, including during the now seven-week-old war between Israel and the Islamist Palestinian faction Hamas.
Earlier this month, Musk was accused of promoting anti-Semitism again after he responded to a man who posted a screed on X criticizing a Foundation to Combat Anti-Semitism campaign video.
In the video, a father is seen talking to his son about the online hatred the son has spewed, and calling him out for his rhetoric.
The X user dismissed the video, writing: ‘Jewish communties (sic) have been pushing the exact kind of dialectical hatred against whites that they claim to want people to stop using against them.
Kfar Aza was among the 20 or so kibbutz that were ransacked and assaulted by Hamas, here Musk hears how the attack unfolded
At one point during his tour of the kibbutz, Musk stopped to take what looked like a video of the surroundings
Musk and Netanyahu were told by an IDF servicemember how Hamas gunmen infiltrated the kibbutz
During a video released by the Israeli government, Musk did not speak as he was told about the atrocity
The visit comes as Musk faces condemnation worldwide for the proliferation of hate speech on his social media app, X
An IDF servicemember held an umbrella over Musk’s head during the visit to the now-deserted kibbutz
‘I’m deeply disinterested in giving the tiniest s*** now about western Jewish populations coming to the disturbing realization that those hordes of minorities that support flooding their country don’t exactly like them too much.
‘You want truth said to your face, there it is.’
Musk, who has 163 million followers, replied: ‘You have said the actual truth.’
The father of 11 has a long history of toying with dog-whistle rhetoric about Jewish people, in particular George Soros, who enraged him in May by selling his Tesla stock.
On Sunday, Abigail Mor Edan’s grandfather, Carmel, said that even though he is filled with joy that his granddaughter is now on her way home, he knows that ‘there are many people who haven’t yet come back.’ Abigail was the first American released in the negotiated cease-fire between Palestine and Israel.
‘I greatly want them to be returned and that the IDF finish what it has promised: All the hostages [back] and Hamas [destroyed],’ he said.
The grandfather has not been allowed to speak or meet with Abigail yet, but plans to smother her with kisses when they reunite.
‘There’s nothing to say,’ he added.
The first picture of Abigail since her release: seen in a Red Cross ambulance (right) after being released by Hamas as the first American to be set free
Edan was one of 17 hostages released Sunday, 49 days after the war broke out and militants stormed her kibbutz in southern Israel.
Fighters gunned down her parents, Roy Edan, 43 and Smadar Edan, 40, in the attack.
The girl’s siblings, aged ten and six, survived after hiding out for hours in the family home. Carmel Edan said he hasn’t told them about their younger sister’s release yet.
Abigail, who celebrated her fourth birthday in captivity, is now in the hands of Red Cross officials.
President Joe Biden said, after her release, that what the youngster has endured is ‘unthinkable’ and that she has suffered a ‘terrible trauma.’
‘I wish I were there to hold her,’ Biden said. ‘Today she’s free, and Jilly and I, together with so many Americans, are praying for the fact that she is going to be alright.’
The grandfather thanked Biden saying: ‘We love him very much for all the help he is giving us, to Israel. Keep going. Keep going. We don’t admire you. We love you.’
The terror group has been keeping captives since its October 7 surprise attack on Israel that left more than 1,200 Israelis dead.
Over 15,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Israeli counteroffensive.
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