Netanyahu: ‘Genius’ Elon Musk touted Negev’s energy potential

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tells a conference in southern Israel that Tesla CEO Elon Musk encouraged him to develop solar fields across the Negev desert.

“This morning, before coming here, I met with Elon Musk, a man of vision, perhaps the greatest technological visionary of our time. He is a genius,” says Netanyahu.

“He told me that ‘Israel is a technological power.’ He said that he appreciates what we are doing here. And then he said, and he did not know I was coming here, he told me ‘The Negev could provide you with all your energy needs. The Negev is the energy future of the State of Israel. You could spread solar systems here that would give you more energy than you need or could need. Clean energy.’

“I tell you what he told me: ‘If you only want it’ and I tell you that I want it. I want a vibrant, flourishing and developing Negev. And we will continue to do this, to develop it as has never been done in the history of Israel.”