Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with tech billionaire Elon Musk at a Tesla factory in Fremont, Calif., urging him to condemn antisemitism and find ways to combat it on his social media platform, X. The meeting, which was live-streamed on Twitter, saw Netanyahu calling on Musk to find a balance in stopping antisemitism and collective hatred. Musk responded by denouncing antisemitism and emphasizing the importance of free speech and his efforts to combat bots on the site.
The meeting between Netanyahu and Musk comes as both leaders face criticism and seek support from each other. While the purpose of their meeting was initially to discuss artificial intelligence, the conversation quickly shifted to topics such as antisemitism, Iran, and protests against Netanyahu’s government. Protesters followed Netanyahu’s motorcade to the Tesla factory and planned to continue protesting in San Francisco’s Union Square.
For Netanyahu, the meeting with Musk is crucial in countering criticism of his judicial reform initiative, which has raised concerns among international investors and the tech community that has contributed to Israel’s reputation as a “start-up nation.” Netanyahu expressed his desire to encourage Musk to invest in Israel in the coming years, referring to him as the leader in the new age of technological development.
On the other hand, Musk saw Netanyahu’s visit as an opportunity to address allegations of antisemitism following a series of tweets where he blamed the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and threatened legal action against the organization. Research has shown a significant increase in antisemitic speech on the platform since Musk acquired it. ADL leaders have accused Musk’s criticism of the organization of fueling hate online and offline.
During the meeting, Musk and Netanyahu discussed the threat of artificial “superintelligence” surpassing human capabilities, an issue they both acknowledged as real and pressing. However, as the conversation shifted to antisemitism, Musk appeared uncomfortable. Both leaders agreed on the importance of limiting the ability of bots to spread hateful messages on the platform, with Musk suggesting that encouraging users to sign up for paid subscriptions and prioritizing their posts could be effective.
The Washington Post reported that the meeting between Netanyahu and Musk was scheduled to take place at the start of Netanyahu’s trip to the United States for the U.N. General Assembly. This is a developing story, and further updates are expected.