By Amal Hanif – Hiba Magazine Team Writer
As many of us grow numb to the statistics and harrowing visuals pouring out of Palestine, a recent report titled From Economy of Occupation to Economy of Genocide captured global attention. Israel as usual dismissed it as “groundless,” claiming it would “join the dustbin of history.” But the findings are a wake up call for all of us. Once again, we are urged to reflect on our stance, our consumption, and our choices as global citizens, members of the Muslim Ummah, and consumers in this capitalism driven world.
Let’s trace the trail
Francesca Albanese, an international lawyer from Italy, currently serves as the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967. On Thursday, 3 July, Francesca Albanese presented her report to the United Nations Human Rights Council, highlighting 48 corporate entities that have enabled the mass displacement of Palestinian lives and profited from the ongoing genocide.
Corporate complicity can be described as companies directly or indirectly providing finance, resources, infrastructure, products, or services that enable or facilitate human rights violations. The world has seen business enterprises play key roles in aiding South Africa’s apartheid regime and supporting the extermination camps in Nazi Germany. Is history repeating itself?
The occupied Palestinian territory has long been used as a testing ground for military technologies later marketed as “battle-proven.” The report details, though is not limited to, companies that supply drones, F-35 fighter jets, robotic machinery for weapons production, air defense systems, and other military technologies. It names corporations such as US-based Lockheed Martin, Japan’s FANUC Corporation, and Italian arms manufacturer Leonardo S.p.A as key enablers of Israel’s repression and destruction. Israeli companies like Elbit Systems have also cashed in. The 65 percent surge in Israel’s military spending from 2023 to 2024 has drastically increased their annual profits. Collectively, these corporations have significantly expanded Israel’s capacity to illegally occupy land, build settlements, forcibly displace Palestinians, and carry out systematic extermination.
However, the corporate actors named in the report extend beyond the arms industry. They include tech corporations, heavy machinery manufacturers, online travel platforms, financial institutions, and even academic institutions. Shockingly, many of these are companies we interact with in our daily lives.
For instance, Booking.com and Airbnb have played a role in restricting Palestinian access to their own land while profiting from accommodations built on illegally occupied territory. By listing hotel rooms and properties in these settlements, they help normalize and sustain settler colonialism. Between 2018 and 2023, both platforms increased their listings in these areas, along with the commissions they collect.
Biometric and drone surveillance, “smart walls,” data analytics to support on-ground military operations, CCTV networks, and other AI-driven technologies have been used to monitor and control Palestinian lives. Much of this has been enabled by tech giants such as IBM, Microsoft, Amazon, and Alphabet Inc. (Google). In 2021, Israel awarded Alphabet Inc. and Amazon a $1.2 billion contract—known as Project Nimbus—to build the country’s primary cloud infrastructure. IBM, meanwhile, has been training Israeli military and intelligence personnel for the tech sector and startup scene since 1972. It is also responsible for storing the biometric data of Palestinians as it manages the central database of Israel’s population. In 2024, Israel witnessed a 143 percent surge in military tech startups, with technology accounting for 64 percent of the country’s exports during the ongoing genocide.
Caterpillar has been a leading perpetrator in supplying Israel with bulldozers and similar heavy machinery used to demolish Palestinian homes, mosques, and hospitals, and in some cases, to crush Palestinians to death. In 2025 alone, the company concluded a multimillion-dollar contract with Israel, further deepening its complicity.
Between 2023 and 2024, Israel established 57 new settlements, backed by Israeli and foreign companies supplying machinery, construction materials, and logistical support. One might ask when, or if, this will ever end. The report gives a stark answer: the genocide continues “because it is lucrative for many.”
“In the past 21 months, while Israel’s genocide has devastated Palestinian lives and landscapes, the Tel Aviv stock exchange soared by 213 percent (USD), amassing $225.7 billion in market gains, including $67.8 billion in the past month alone. For some, genocide is profitable,” – Francesca Albanese
Can we do something about it? Hit them where it hurts!
If you work for these companies and can’t afford to quit, the least you can do is stand with colleagues who have a moral conscience and speak up. Voice your dissatisfaction. Challenge your employer’s complicity in Israeli genocide. If you’ve invested in any of these companies through stocks or mutual funds, it’s wise to divest. Remember, your rizq is written by and comes from Allah (SWT), Ar-Razzaq, not from an employer who profits from oppression! Put your trust in Him and His endless bounties. It is a risk worth taking. No sacrifice goes unrewarded.
For regular consumers, now is the time to do your research and make the switch to ethical alternatives. While boycotting every single service may not be realistic, there are still impactful choices we can all make. When it comes to Microsoft, consider replacing OneNote with Notion, switching from Microsoft Teams to Slack, and cutting down on Xbox. For travel, try booking directly with hotels or through independent travel agencies instead of platforms like Booking.com. Reduce your reliance on Airbnb by exploring local tourism companies, serviced apartments, or alternative platforms. A little extra effort can go a long way in supporting fair and locally owned accommodations.
As for online shopping, Amazon’s fast shipping isn’t worth the moral cost. You can buy directly from a brand’s website or Instagram page. Replace Kindle with apps like Libby, and cancel your Amazon Prime subscription altogether. Don’t forget: there are apartheid-free ways to consume.
“[He] who created death and life to test you [as to] which of you is best in deed – and He is the Exalted in Might, the Forgiving -” (Surah Al Mulk 67:2)
When we stand in Allah’s court, we will have no excuses or justifications to give. None of us are oblivious to the ground realities. This is the bare minimum you and I can do. Let’s be part of the resistance!
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