Elon Musk Visits Israel       11/27 06:36

   Elon Musk, who's been under fire over accusations of antisemitism 
flourishing on his social media platform X, paid a visit Monday to Israel, 
where he toured a kibbutz that was attacked last month by Hamas militants and 
was set to meet with top leaders.

   (AP) -- Elon Musk, who's been under fire over accusations of antisemitism 
flourishing on his social media platform X, paid a visit Monday to Israel, 
where he toured a kibbutz that was attacked last month by Hamas militants and 
was set to meet with top leaders.

   The billionaire and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu toured the 
Kfar Azza kibbutz, a rural village that Hamas militants stormed on Oct. 7 in a 
deadly assault that launched the war.

   Musk, wearing a protective vest and escorted by a phalanx of security 
personnel as rain fell, used his phone to take photos or videos of the 
devastation, according to video released by Netanyahu's office.

   The Tesla CEO and prime minister visited the homes of some victims, 
including the family of Abigail Edan, a 4-year-old girl with dual Israeli-U.S. 
citizenship who was held hostage by Hamas after her parents were killed. She 
was released Sunday in the latest round of exchanges during a cease-fire in 
Gaza set to expire after Monday.

   Musk also was due to meet Israeli President Isaac Herzog and Benny Gantz, a 
former defense minister who's now part of a special war Cabinet.

   Government spokesperson Eylon Levy declined to say whether Musk was invited 
or came on his own. X, formerly known as Twitter, did not respond to a request 
for comment.

   Israel's communications minister, Shlomo Karhi, tweeted earlier Monday about 
a deal that his ministry had reached with Musk's Starlink satellite internet 
company.

   "As a result of this significant agreement, Starlink satellite units can 
only be operated in Israel with the approval of the Israeli Ministry of 
Communications, including the Gaza Strip," Karhi wrote, without providing 
further details.

   Musk has faced accusations from the Anti-Defamation League, a prominent 
Jewish civil-rights organization, and others of tolerating antisemitic messages 
on the platform since purchasing it last year, and the content on X has gained 
increased scrutiny since the war between Israel and Hamas began.

   A slew of big brands, including Disney and IBM, decided to stop advertising 
on the platform after a report by liberal advocacy group Media Matters said ads 
were appearing alongside pro-Nazi content and white nationalist posts. It came 
the same week Musk endorsed an antisemitic conspiracy theory that drew outcry, 
including from the White House.

   Musk responded on X this month to a user who accused Jews of hating white 
people and professing indifference to antisemitism by saying, "You have said 
the actual truth."

   X has since sued Media Matters, saying the Washington-based nonprofit 
manufactured the report to "drive advertisers from the platform and destroy X 
Corp."

   Monday's visit is not the first time Musk and Netanyahu have met. Netanyahu 
came to California in September, telling the Tesla CEO that he hopes Musk can 
find a way to roll back antisemitism and other forms of hatred within the 
limits of the First Amendment.