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Corporate Profits from Atrocities in Palestinian Territories
A recent UN report has revealed that numerous corporations are profiting from the ongoing atrocities taking place in the Palestinian territories. These crimes, often supported or enabled by Western powers, have historically been a source of significant financial gain for individuals and companies involved. From the genocide of Native Americans in the United States during the 19th century to the colonization of the Congo under King Leopold II of Belgium, and even the Nazi Holocaust, many entities have benefited from humanity’s darkest chapters.
Francesca Albanese, the UN special rapporteur on the human rights situation in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967, has published a report highlighting over 60 Western companies that have profited from the repression, genocide, and other war crimes committed by Israel against the Palestinian people. The report underscores the complicity of these corporations in enabling the Israeli economy of illegal occupation, apartheid, and now genocide.
The report emphasizes that the corporate sector has played a material role in supporting these actions by providing essential weapons and machinery used to destroy homes, schools, hospitals, and places of worship. American defense contractor Lockheed Martin, for instance, has supplied some of the most destructive weapons used in Gaza. Technologies from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have been integrated into drones, hexacopters, and quadcopters, which have become prevalent in the region.
Japanese firm FANUC Corporation has provided robotic machinery for weapons production lines, while Dutch shipping and logistics company AP Moller-Maersk has transported components, parts, weapons, and raw materials to Israel. Since 2019, American tech giant IBM has operated and upgraded the central database of the Population and Immigration Authority, enabling the collection and storage of biometric data on Palestinians.
Other American tech giants such as Hewlett-Packard, Microsoft, Alphabet, and Amazon have also been involved in providing technologies to the Israeli military, domestic security, prison system, and police. Palantir, a US-based data analytics firm, has developed technologies used in the “kill chains” of the Israeli army’s assaults on Gaza.
Caterpillar, a US-based company, has supplied bulldozers used to demolish Palestinian homes and infrastructure. These machines have evolved into automated, remote-commanded weaponry deployed in various military activities since 2000. In 2025, Caterpillar secured a further multimillion-dollar contract with Israel.
South Korean firms HD Hyundai and Doosan, along with Sweden’s Volvo Group, have also provided heavy machinery for similar purposes. German firm Heidelberg Materials, through its subsidiary Hanson Israel, has contributed to building roads and infrastructure linking illegal settlements to Israel, while excluding and segregating Palestinians.
Real estate companies like Keller Williams Realty promote the sale of properties in these illegal settlements. British oil giant BP has exploration licenses allowing it to explore Palestinian maritime expanses illegally exploited by Israel. Netafim, a global leader in drip irrigation technology, has made its technology available for the exploitation of water and land in the West Bank.
Tnuva, majority-owned by the Chinese firm Bright Food (Group) Co, has helped in sourcing agricultural produce from illegal Israeli settlements. In what the UN report calls “occupation tourism,” Booking Holdings and Airbnb list properties and hotel rooms in Palestinian territories.
Despite commitments to responsible investment principles and the United Nations Global Compact, global financial giants continue to do business with Israel or invest heavily in companies that do. Among those named are BNP Paribas, Barclays, BlackRock, Vanguard, AXA, Allianz, and PIMCO.
The Israeli government has denounced the UN report, calling it legally groundless and defamatory. However, many argue that Francesca Albanese deserves recognition for her tireless efforts in defending Palestinian rights and exposing Israeli atrocities.
IBM’s historical involvement with Nazi Germany, where it provided punch card technology for data collection on military logistics and concentration camps, adds to the controversy surrounding corporate complicity in atrocities. The question remains: why should global companies engage in business with Israel when it faces accusations of genocide and war crimes?
History teaches us that the lessons learned can vary significantly, and the actions of corporations today may shape the future of international relations and human rights.
