Elon Musk To Meet Israeli President As X’s Advertiser Exodus Rages On

Billionaire Elon Musk has been accused by civil rights groups of amplifying anti-Jewish hatred on his X platform, previously known as Twitter.

He is set to hold discussions with Isaac Herzog, the President of Israel, on Monday, along with Israeli nationals whose relatives have been held by Hamas in Gaza.

Herzog’s office announced Sunday night: “In their meeting, the president will emphasise the need to act to combat rising antisemitism online.”

Temporary Truce In Israel-Hamas War

Israel’s Channel 12 said Musk, who also runs SpaceX and Tesla, would also meet Benjamin Netanyahu. But there was no immediate comment from the Israeli PM’s office.

Musk’s visit coincides with a temporary ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war during which 58 of the approximately 240 hostages Israel says have been held in Gaza have been released.

As the third set of hostages were freed, the US has expressed hope that the fragile truce would be extended beyond Monday, while Israel indicates its campaign was far from over.

Musk’s Opposition To Antisemitism

Netanyahu met Musk in California on September 18, urging him to strike a balance between protecting free expression and combating hate speech.

In response, Musk highlighted his opposition to antisemitism and anything that “promotes hate and conflict”, reiterating X would not promote hate speech.

Then on November 15, he agreed with a post that falsely claimed Jewish people were stoking hatred against white people. The user had referenced the “great replacement” conspiracy theory.

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Rise In Antisemitism And Islamophobia

Musk’s move drew condemnation from the White House, while major US companies including Walt Disney and Warner Bros Universal paused their advertisements on the platform.

Antisemitism and Islamophobia have risen worldwide, including during the now seven-week-old brutal conflict between Israel and Hamas. The war’s death toll is in tens of thousands now.

The US has recorded a roughly 400% increase in antisemitic incidents from the year-earlier period, according to the Anti-Defamation League.