Corporate Complicity: UN Expert Links Tech Giants to Gaza Genocide
Francesca Albanese, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories, has identified major global corporations—including Microsoft, Google, and Amazon—as being complicit in what she described as Israel’s “genocidal campaign” in Gaza. In a recent report, Albanese named over 60 companies, including weapons manufacturers and technology firms, allegedly aiding Israel’s military operations in the besieged Palestinian territory.
Albanese, an Italian human rights lawyer, prepared the 27-page report based on over 200 draft submissions from countries, rights organizations, companies, and academics. The report, published on Monday night, calls for these companies to cease business with Israel and for corporate executives involved in such dealings to be held accountable for violations of international law.
According to Al Jazeera, the report specifically names 48 corporate entities, including U.S. tech giants Microsoft, Alphabet (Google’s parent company), and Amazon. It also refers to a database containing over 1,000 additional companies investigated as part of the inquiry.
Titled From Occupation to Annexation: Israel’s Apartheid Economy, the report was formally released on July 2 during a press conference in Geneva. It accuses major tech firms like Alphabet, Amazon, Microsoft, and IBM of playing key surveillance roles in Israel’s destruction campaign in Gaza. It also highlights the involvement of weapons manufacturers like Lockheed Martin and Leonardo, whose arms have reportedly been used in the region. Heavy equipment suppliers such as Caterpillar and Hyundai were also mentioned for allegedly facilitating the destruction of Palestinian property.
A Lockheed Martin spokesperson responded to the allegations by stating, “Foreign military sales are government-to-government transactions. The U.S. government is best suited to address this matter.” Other companies declined to comment when approached by Reuters. Israel’s mission in Geneva rejected the report as “legally unfounded, defamatory, and a clear abuse of her office.” Meanwhile, the United States has called on UN Secretary-General António Guterres to censure and remove Albanese.
The report asserts that these corporations are no longer merely complicit in Israel’s occupation but are now integral components of what Albanese termed “the economy of genocide.”
It was also reported that Microsoft, Alphabet, Amazon, and IBM have been assisting Israeli authorities with surveillance and biometric data management. These firms have provided cloud computing and artificial intelligence tools to enhance Israel’s surveillance capabilities. IBM is reported to be managing the central database for Israel’s Population and Immigration Authority (PIBA), which includes biometric records of Palestinians. In addition, Palantir Technologies has supplied the Israeli military with AI-powered systems such as “Lavender,” “Gospel,” and “Where’s Daddy” for targeting operations.
Earlier in 2024, Albanese had stated in a special opinion that Israel's actions in Gaza “reasonably appear to amount to genocide.”
