Yahoo Finance Elon Musk to visit Israel after accusations of anti-Semitism
Elon Musk is expected to travel to Israel next week in an attempt to defuse an anti-Semitism row that has earned the billionaire a rebuke from the White House and seen major advertisers leave Twitter.
Mr Musk will meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog, and travel to the settlements that were attacked during last month’s Hamas invasion, according to local reports.
A spokesman for the Israeli government said they were unable to confirm any details about a trip at this stage.
Mr Musk has been fighting claims that Twitter, which he has renamed X, has failed to respond to misinformation and anti-Semitism being posted on the app.
Last week the European Commission said it had suspended advertising on the service owing to concerns about misinformation around the war.
Major advertisers including Apple have pulled spending after Mr Musk appeared to endorse an anti-Semitic conspiracy theory last week.
You have said the actual truth
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 15, 2023
In response to a comment claiming that Jewish people were helping “hordes of minorities” into the US, Mr Musk said last week: “You have said the actual truth.”
The statement led the White House to accuse Mr Musk of repeating a “hideous lie” and the “abhorrent promotion of anti-Semitic and racist hate”.
Mr Musk hosted Mr Netanyahu in California in September, during which the Israeli Prime Minister urged him to crack down on anti-Semitism on the social network.
The billionaire, who also owns Tesla, has said he is against anti-Semitism of any kind, but has repeatedly been criticised by groups such as the Anti Defamation League, the Jewish civil rights organisation.
Mr Musk is due to host the launch of Tesla’s Cybertruck at an event on Thursday at its gigafactory headquarters in Texas.
He said this week that he will donate all money earned on Twitter from advertising and subscriptions associated with the war in Gaza to hospitals and aid organisations.
