In a recent episode of The Joe Rogan Experience podcast, Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, engaged in a diverse array of topics with American commentator Joe Rogan. The conversation, which initially touched on subjects such as a potential 'zombie apocalypse', took a serious turn when they discussed the ongoing assault on
Gaza by Israel. During this discussion, Musk took a dig at the Palestinian armed group ‘Hamas’, equating it with ‘Hummus’.
The two-hour and 41-minute interview began with Rogan questioning Musk about the challenges of being a high-profile figure in the media, particularly referencing the New York Times coverage of
Musk. Rogan wondered if negative comments in print hold more weight due to wider visibility. Musk agreed, acknowledging that articles in The New York Times often reflect individual opinions more likely influenced by editors.
The conversation took a serious turn when Rogan said that the news outlet has been making “some grave errors. Like
Hamas bombing the — “Hummus?” Musk responded, and they both laughed at Musk's wordplay.
“The Israelis bombing the hospital,” Rogan said.
The wordplay continued as they discussed the conflict, with Musk suggesting cutting off chickpea exports as a comical solution. “What are you gonna do, take a chip and dip it in nothing?” said Musk.
Rogan immediately moved the conversation to the pizza they had ordered, inquiring as to why it had taken so long to arrive.
Earlier, The New York Times retracted its initial coverage of the Gaza incident, acknowledging that it had heavily relied on claims by Hamas without proper verification. The newspaper clarified that Israel denied responsibility for the incident, attributing it to an errant rocket launch by the Palestinian armed group.
Initially, Musk responded to the plea for Starlink assistance in Gaza, expressing uncertainty about the authority responsible for ground links in the enclave. He mentioned that no communication attempts had been made from Gaza to connect with their satellite constellation, reports Al-Jazeera.
However, as public demand for Musk’s intervention gained momentum on social media platforms, the billionaire entrepreneur made a significant announcement. Musk confirmed that Starlink would extend its support by providing connectivity to internationally recognized aid organizations operating in Gaza, Al-Jazeera added.
Starlink, a satellite internet initiative by SpaceX, boasts a constellation of thousands of satellites orbiting approximately 550km (340 miles) from the Earth’s surface. This proximity facilitates the provision of internet services in remote and underserved areas globally, where traditional internet infrastructure is weak or absent.
(Edited by : Sudarsanan Mani)
