Netanyahu on inaugural blunder: 'Musk being falsely smeared'

"Elon is a great friend of Israel," Netanyahu wrote, adding that Musk had visited Israel following the October 7 massacre.

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF JANUARY 23, 2025 14:37

Benjamin Netanyahu and Elon Musk (photo credit: MARC SELLEM + REUTERS)

Elon Musk is being wrongfully slandered, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wrote in a post on X/Twitter on Thursday after Elon Musk appeared to make a Heil Hitler salute at the Presidential Parade earlier this week.

"Elon is a great friend of Israel," Netanyahu wrote, adding, "He visited Israel after the October 7 massacre in which Hamas terrorists committed the worst atrocity against the Jewish people since the Holocaust.

"He has since repeatedly and forcefully supported Israel’s right to defend itself against genocidal terrorists and regimes who seek to annihilate the one and only Jewish state," the prime minister added. 

.@elonmusk is being falsely smeared. Elon is a great friend of Israel. He visited Israel after the October 7 massacre in which Hamas terrorists committed the worst atrocity against the Jewish people since the Holocaust. He has since repeatedly and forcefully supported Israel’s… https://t.co/VkBptanDmp

— Benjamin Netanyahu - בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) January 23, 2025

"I thank him for this."

Elon Musk makes controversial gesture at Washington DC arena (credit: SCREENSHOT/X)

President of the World Jewish Congress, Ronald Lauder, made a similar statement earlier this week. @elonmusk is no Nazi—he’s a great friend of the Jewish people."

Elon Musk was accused of giving a Nazi salute at the Trump rally. Absurd. As someone who fought antisemitism for 40+ years, including as U.S. Ambassador to Austria during the Waldheim era, I know what Nazis look like. @elonmusk is no Nazi—he’s a great friend of the Jewish people.…

— Ronald S. Lauder (@lauder_ronald) January 21, 2025

The Anti-Defamation League wrote of the incident, "It seems that Elon Musk made an awkward gesture in a moment of enthusiasm, not a Nazi salute."

This is a delicate moment. It’s a new day and yet so many are on edge. Our politics are inflamed, and social media only adds to the anxiety.It seems that @elonmusk made an awkward gesture in a moment of enthusiasm, not a Nazi salute, but again, we appreciate that people are on…

— ADL (@ADL) January 20, 2025

On Monday, Musk was seen making what appeared to be the gesture twice on live television while thanking Trump supporters at the parade.