CIVICUS speaks with Nathan Timmer, activist and press officer at Geef Tegengas (Push Back), a Dutch direct-action group that focuses on corporate accountability and human rights violations.
Big tech companies are facing mounting pressure over their relationships with Israeli military and intelligence agencies amid the ongoing assault on Gaza. Amazon, Google, Microsoft and other major corporations have been targeted by activists, employees and human rights organisations demanding they cancel Israeli government contracts. The campaigns have intensified since October 2023, with civil society pointing to the ways cloud computing and AI services enable surveillance and military operations against Palestinians. In the Netherlands, as in other countries hosting tech infrastructure, activists have begun focusing on data centres and facilities that may be connected to these controversial partnerships.