Netanyahu defends 'great friend' Elon Musk over fascist salute

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has defended Elon Musk's use of a fascist salute at a pro-Trump rally, calling him a "great friend" of Israel.

In a statement on Musk's X platform, Netanyahu said the billionaire had been "falsely smeared" by his opponents over his use of the antisemitic gesture.

"He visited Israel after the October 7 massacre in which Hamas terrorists committed the worst atrocity against the Jewish people since the Holocaust," wrote Netanyahu.

"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."

"I thank him for this."