Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended Elon Musk on Thursday, saying the Tesla CEO is being "falsely smeared" by critics who say he gave a Nazi salute during President Donald Trump's inauguration.

Elon Musk pounded his fist to his chest and extended his right arm into the air during a speech Monday, which many have equated to a Nazi salute—while defenders say it was accidental.

Netanyahu pointed to Musk’s visiting Israel after the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack and advocating for what he said was “Israel’s right to defend itself against genocidal terrorists and regimes who seek to annihilate the one and only Jewish state.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said billionaire tech mogul Elon Musk was being "falsely smeared" in a row over a gesture he made at Donald Trump's inauguration that critics described as a Nazi salute.

Netanyahu was responding to a post by the X owner, which read, "The radical leftists are really upset that they had to take time out of their busy day praising Hamas to call me a Nazi."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has come to the defence of billionaire tech mogul Elon Musk, who has faced controversy over a gesture he made at Donald Trump’s inauguration. Critics had described the gesture as a Nazi salute, but Netanyahu labelled the claims as a "false smear."

Israeli PM gives full-throated endorsement of Donald Trump’s billionaire adviser after he sparked outrage with stiff-armed gesture.

Nazi salute getting out of hands? After his bizarre gesture mimicking a ‘ sieg hiel ,’ aka nazi salute, at Trump’s inauguration, Elon Musk is cracking jokes about it, even as allies like Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu downplay his shenanigans.

Elon Musk sparked controversy as he appeared to do the “Nazi salute” during US President Donald Trump's inauguration ceremony when he addressed a crowd.

Musk’s satirical post comes after the Tesla boss sparked a massive controversy on January 20 by raising his right arm in the air while thanking Trump’s supporters.

Elon Musk criticised the social media algorithm after encountering repeated "Nazi salute" images in his feed. The controversy stems from a gesture he made on January 20 during Donald Trump's inauguration.