🔒 Top tech CEOs gather at Palantir's Davos talk on Israel attacks

Several high-profile tech leaders, including Amazon CEO Andy Jassy, Alphabet CFO Ruth Porat, Salesforce’s Marc Benioff, and Dell Technologies’ Michael Dell, attended a Palantir-hosted event in Davos. The panel discussion featured family members of hostages and victims of the October 7 attacks in Israel. Survivors shared their harrowing experiences, with one mother, Rachel Goldberg-Polin, recounting her son’s loss of an arm in a grenade attack and subsequent hostage situation. The emotional event drew reactions, including tears from attendees, and highlighted Palantir’s engagement with geopolitics, particularly its support for Israel. The Denver-based company, known for its defence and security software, reiterated its commitment to Israel after the October attack and recently formed a strategic partnership with the Israeli Defense Ministry. The event aimed to raise awareness and garner international support for the release of hostages and address concerns about antisemitism.

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By Lizette Chapman

Several high-profile tech leaders went to Palantir Technologies Inc.’s Davos event space Wednesday to listen to a panel discussion with family members of hostages and victims of the Oct. 7 attacks in Israel.

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Amazon.com Inc. Chief Executive Officer Andy Jassy attended, as did Alphabet Inc. Chief Financial Officer Ruth Porat, Salesfore Inc.’s Marc Benioff and Dell Technologies Inc.’s Michael Dell, according to a person who attended the event who asked not to be identified because the session was not public.

During the event at the World Economic Forum, Israeli survivors of the October attack and family members of the hostages described their experience. One woman, Rachel Goldberg-Polin, spoke about her son, who lost his arm in a grenade attack before being taken hostage. He has not yet been released.

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Amazon’s Jassy made his way from the back of the room to the front during the presentation, according to the person who attended, who also said that many people in the room cried. Palantir CEO Alex Karp also spoke at the event, which was structured as a panel highlighting survivors’ stories.

Pfizer Inc. CEO Albert Bourla and Publicis Groupe SA Chairman Maurice Levy briefly spoke as well. Palantir did not comment on the event. Representatives from the other companies declined to comment or did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

While some companies have made it a policy to avoid wading into geopolitics, Palantir has made it part of its business. The Denver-based company co-founded by billionaire Peter Thiel sells software with defense and national security applications and has been vocal about its support for the US and its allies, including Israel.

Following the October attack, Palantir told shareholders it “stands with Israel” in a November letter and held a board meeting there earlier this month. Palantir also recently struck a strategic partnership with the Israeli Defense Ministry.

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Hamas, which is designated a terrorist group by the US and European Union, killed 1,200 civilians and soldiers and kidnapped another 240 during the Oct. 7 attacks. About 100 hostages were released in a deal where Israel freed Palestinian prisoners. Israel’s subsequent aerial and ground offensive on the territory has killed more than 24,000 people, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.

Israel’s President Isaac Herzog traveled to the Davos, Switzerland, confab along with the family members of hostages as part of a larger effort to step up pressure for their release in the international community and to discuss antisemitism.

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🔒 Top tech CEOs gather at Palantir’s Davos talk on Israel attacks

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