Palantir Hosts Emotional Gathering at Davos to Shed Light on Israeli Hostages in Gaza

Edited by:  Fern Sidman

In an emotionally charged event hosted by software giant Palantir at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, family members of Israeli hostages held in Gaza shared their harrowing experiences and appealed for support from attendees, as was reported by The Jewish Insider web site. The gathering, organized by Palantir CEO Alex Karp, brought together top tech and business leaders, creating a platform for impassioned pleas to address the plight of the remaining abductees.

Israeli entrepreneur and investor Yossi Vardi commended Karp for unwavering support towards Israel, setting the tone for a gathering that showcased a commitment to standing against anti-Semitism and supporting the nation amid regional challenges, according to the JewishInsider.com report.

“Davos has an important function. I live on a different planet,” says Palantir CEO Alex Karp. “The most important issue of our time is war and peace. The important metaphor for that is ‘What do you think happened in Israel?’ Antisemitism as prejudice is a canary in a coal mine.” pic.twitter.com/TtZvC5msKm

— Squawk Box (@SquawkCNBC) January 17, 2024

Palantir has emerged as one of the most vocal proponents of backing Israel and condemning campus anti-Semitism in the aftermath of the October 7^th Hamas attacks. The data analytics firm, emphasizing its dedication to the cause, held its first board meeting of 2024 in Tel Aviv. Additionally, Palantir recently entered into a strategic partnership with the Israeli Defense Ministry, pledging assistance in the country’s efforts against Hamas in Gaza, as was indicated in the report on the JewishInsider.com report.

In response to a surge in anti-Semitic incidents on college campuses nationwide, Palantir launched an initiative in December aimed at recruiting Jewish students who have expressed concerns about their safety, according to the JewishInsider.com report.  The move reflects the company’s commitment to fostering a secure environment for Jewish students facing rising threats.

A diverse range of speakers, including Rachel Goldberg-Polin, Noam Peri, Nili Margalit, Moran Stella Yanai, and Eyal Waldman, took the stage to recount their personal experiences with the violence that has gripped the region, the JewishInsider.com report said. The audience, which included influential figures from various sectors, was visibly moved as they listened to firsthand accounts of the impact of Hamas attacks on Israeli citizens.

Rachel Goldberg-Polin shared heart-wrenching footage of the moment her 23-year-old son was brutally abducted by Hamas terrorists during the October 7 attack on the Supernova music festival in southern Israel,  as per the JewishInsider.com report. Her emotional plea challenged participants to take meaningful action to bring the hostages home, urging a collective effort to address the ongoing crisis.

Noam Peri, whose 79-year-old father was abducted by Hamas, invoked the words of Elie Wiesel and implored attendees to raise their voices on behalf of the hostages. His call for advocacy emphasized the importance of international support in pressuring those responsible for the abductions, the JewishInsider.com report said.

Nili Margalit, an Israeli nurse who endured nearly 50 days of captivity in Gaza, expressed guilt for leaving fellow hostages behind, some of whom she had been assisting with medical treatment. Her emotional plea underscored the urgency of the situation, urging the room to use their influence and resources to aid the hostages.

Jewelry designer Moran Stella Yanai shared her traumatic experience of being captured at the music festival, recounting panic attacks and a constant fear of assault following her abduction by Hamas, the report on the JewishInsider.com website said. Her personal testimony shed light on the psychological toll endured by those held captive.

Eyal Waldman, addressing the room where participants were provided with yellow ribbons and dog tag necklaces bearing the inscription “Bring them home — now!” recounted the tragic loss of his daughter Danielle at the music festival. His heartfelt words emphasized the need for collective action to ensure the safe return of the remaining hostages.

Moreover, the event drew a notable audience, featuring high-profile figures from business, media, politics, and philanthropy. The JewishInsider.com report said that the attendees included Andy Jassy, CEO of Amazon; Michael Dell, founder and CEO of Dell Technologies; Nicola Mendelsohn, a top executive at Meta; Alexander Taylor, CEO of Cox Enterprises; Martin Sorrell, founder and former CEO of WPP; and Bill Browder, CEO of Hermitage Capital Management.

Albert Bourla, the CEO of Pfizer, reacted to footage of Hamas’ atrocities screened at Davos. According to the JewishInsider.com report, Victor Halberstadt, a Dutch Holocaust survivor and economics professor at Leiden University, offered insights, along with Meirav Eilon Shahar, Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva.

Among the diverse participants were two former Israeli Knesset members, Tzipi Livni and Stav Shaffir, demonstrating political representation. Jonathan Greenblatt, the CEO of the Anti-Defamation League, brought advocacy for combating anti-Semitism, while Fred Kempe, CEO of the Atlantic Council, contributed to the discourse on global issues, the JewishInsider.com reported.  Ken Weinstein, the Japan chair at the Hudson Institute, added an international perspective to the gathering.

The event also garnered attention from prominent journalists, including Bret Stephens and Andrew Ross Sorkin from The New York Times, as well as Ben Smith, the editor-in-chief of Semafor, the report added. Their presence underscored the significance of the topics discussed and the commitment to raising awareness on issues affecting Israel.