The head of the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial Danny Dayan issued a forceful response Sunday morning to controversial comments by X owner and Donald Trump confidant Elon Musk, who suggested Germany should reduce its focus on historical guilt.
"Recognition of Germany's dark past and that of its people in the not-too-distant past must remain a central component in shaping German society," Dayan wrote on his X account, directly challenging Musk's position.
The contentious remarks came during Musk's unexpected appearance at an election gathering of the populist right-wing Alternative for Germany party. Speaking via video call to 4,500 conference attendees, Musk declared: "There is too much focus on past guilt, and we need to move beyond that."
This controversy follows another recent incident where Musk generated significant backlash. Last week, following President Donald Trump's inauguration, he made a gesture that observers interpreted as resembling a Nazi salute.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, however, came to Musk's defense last week, posting on his X account: "Musk is being slandered with lies. He is a great friend of Israel and visited Israel after the Oct. 7 massacre. Since then, he has repeatedly and firmly supported Israel's right to defend itself. I thank him for this."
