San Jose, California. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu embarked on a high-profile visit to California as he engaged in discussions with billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk. The meeting, which took place at Musk’s facilities, centered on addressing concerns of antisemitism on Musk’s social media platform, X, while Musk sought Netanyahu’s perspective on his judicial reforms in Israel. The two leaders also explored the implications of artificial intelligence during a sparsely attended livestream event on Monday.
The visit coincided with mounting accusations against Musk regarding the presence of antisemitic content on his social media platform. Simultaneously, Netanyahu faces political opposition within his own country and from international quarters. Outside the Tesla factory in Fremont, California, where Tesla manufactures its vehicles, protesters gathered early Monday to voice their concerns.
While the official agenda was primarily focused on artificial intelligence, Netanyahu and Tesla CEO Elon Musk found common ground in recognizing both the potential benefits and societal risks associated with the technology. Netanyahu stressed the importance of forging agreements among like-minded nations to establish a code of ethics and conduct for the responsible development of advanced AI, emphasizing the necessity to “police the planet” against rogue actors.
The conversation eventually veered toward free speech and the issue of antisemitism, with Netanyahu expressing hope that, within the framework of the First Amendment, Musk could find a way to combat antisemitism and other forms of hatred on his social media platform. Netanyahu encouraged Musk to strike a balance, acknowledging the complexity of the issue.
Musk pointed out the sheer volume of posts on X, numbering between 100 million to 200 million per day, and noted that “some of those are gonna be bad.” He reiterated X’s policy of not promoting or amplifying hate speech. Under Musk’s leadership, the platform has opted to limit the visibility of objectionable posts rather than removing them, a decision he characterizes as “freedom of speech, not freedom of reach.”
Musk has faced allegations of permitting antisemitic messages on X, with the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), a prominent Jewish civil-rights organization, accusing him of allowing antisemitism and hate speech to proliferate. Musk countered these allegations by accusing the ADL of attempting to undermine the platform by falsely labeling it as antisemitic. Nevertheless, both Musk and X’s CEO, Linda Yaccarino, have recently expressed their opposition to antisemitism.
In a somewhat unrelated controversy, Musk also criticized George Soros’ organization, suggesting it seeks the “destruction of western civilization.” Soros, a Hungarian-American philanthropist, has been a target of anti-Semitic attacks and conspiracy theories for many years, despite his extensive donations to liberal and anti-authoritarian causes worldwide.
Netanyahu’s visit, primarily focused on Musk, included a demonstration of self-driving technology, marking a departure from the usual Silicon Valley itineraries for visiting political dignitaries that often include meetings with major tech companies such as Apple, Google, or Meta.
Following his California visit, Netanyahu is set to travel to New York, where he will address the United Nations General Assembly and engage in discussions with several world leaders, including President Joe Biden, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, and U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres.
Back in Israel, hundreds of thousands of citizens have been participating in nine months of demonstrations opposing Netanyahu’s judicial reforms, with protests even occurring during his international trips. Israeli expatriates organized a demonstration outside the Tesla factory in Fremont, echoing concerns about the prime minister’s domestic policies.
Protest organizer Offir Gutelzon emphasized the importance of solidarity with the protesters in Israel, stating that Netanyahu’s visit to California portrays business as usual while divisive policies are causing turmoil at home.
Musk, acknowledging the protests and criticism he faced for hosting Netanyahu, asked the Israeli Prime Minister to address the judicial overhaul during their meeting. Netanyahu has argued that the judicial reform plan aims to reduce the powers of unelected judges, whom he and his allies perceive as overly liberal and interventionist. Critics contend that this plan represents a power grab and jeopardizes the country’s system of checks and balances, potentially pushing it towards autocracy.
Prominent figures in Israel’s high-tech sector have actively participated in the protests, highlighting concerns that weakening the judiciary could harm the nation’s business environment and deter foreign investment, evident in the recent depreciation of the Israeli shekel, signaling a decline in foreign investment.
Carlo Juancho FuntanillaFrontend Developer, WordPress, Shopify
Contributing Editor
AMA ACLC San Pablo
