Elon Musk, the tech billionaire, recently visited the Auschwitz death camp, a significant Holocaust site. This visit follows severe criticism of how X (formerly Twitter) handles antisemitic content and comes shortly after Musk apologized for endorsing an antisemitic conspiracy theory. Prominent Jewish leaders had urged Musk to personally witness the impact of the Holocaust.
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Musk is scheduled to speak about online antisemitism at a conference organized by the European Jewish Association (EJA). The Auschwitz death camp, established by Nazi Germany in occupied Poland during World War II, witnessed the murder of at least 1.1 million people, including nearly one million Jews.
Following Musk’s controversial agreement with an antisemitic post on X, major companies like Apple, Disney, and IBM halted their advertisements on the platform. Musk responded by accusing these advertisers of trying to “blackmail” him and expressed his disdain using strong language.
In November, after facing accusations of antisemitism for his response to a post claiming Jewish communities foster hatred against white people, Musk described his endorsement as “one of the most foolish” things he had done on the platform. He also joined Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on a tour of the Kfar Aza kibbutz, which had been targeted by Hamas.
Today, Musk and senior political figures from Europe will meet in Krakow, Poland, to discuss the rising antisemitism in Europe, a trend that has been escalating since the Gaza war, according to the EJA.
In a live discussion on X in September, EJA chairman Rabbi Menachem Margolin invited Musk to visit Auschwitz, stating that it would be a strong statement and contribute significantly to Holocaust awareness and the fight against antisemitism.
The Auschwitz Memorial and Museum has previously criticized X for its handling of Holocaust denial content. In August, the museum condemned the platform for initially failing to remove a post denying the Holocaust. X later removed the post after a second review, as its policies prohibit Holocaust denial.
Musk has defended his record against online hate, stating it’s absurd to accuse him of antisemitism given his pro-Semitic stance throughout his life. He has also threatened to sue the Anti-Defamation League over claims of increased problematic and racist speech on X since his takeover. Additionally, X is suing non-profit Media Matters for accusing the platform of allowing antisemitic posts alongside advertising, alleging manipulated data use.
