Apple accused of giving worker donations to Israeli soldiers, settlements

Apple workers, shareholders, and former employees have penned an open letter demanding the company halt donations to nonprofit organizations tied to Israel's genocidal war on Gaza

News Desk - The Cradle

In an open letter, Apple employees and shareholders are urging the company to stop matching employee donations to entities linked to Israeli military actions in Gaza and the establishment of illegal settlements in the West Bank, according to a report published by The Intercept on 11 June.

Echoing an earlier plea for a ceasefire, the letter calls on Apple to “promptly investigate and cease matching donations to all organizations that further illegal settlements in occupied territories and support the IDF.”

Like several other prominent corporations, Apple's staff members are typically permitted to make donations to NGOs. However, Apple is predominantly politically aligned with Israel. 

According to the report, Apple has previously provided donations to Israeli soldiers and made hefty contributions to groups that facilitate funds for settlement expansion programs in the occupied West Bank — among them, the One Israel Fund, the Jewish National Fund, and HaYovel.  

As of now, Apple has declined to comment on the matter.

In New York, a proposed legislative measure known as the "Not On Our Dime Act" aims to restrict the fundraising activities of nonprofit groups within the state for illegal settlements. This initiative seeks to hold such organizations accountable by potentially subjecting them to legal consequences or revocation of their nonprofit status.

According to Diala Shamas, a senior attorney at the Center for Constitutional Rights, companies typically rely on their 501(c)(3) status, which allows them to make “charitable donations” to NGOs in the fields of science, education, religion, public safety, sports, and human rights.

However, Shamas clarified that regardless of the status of the Israeli-linked foundations, these entities are complicit in assisting war crimes in the Gaza Strip, therefore making it illegal for Apple to make such contributions. 

“Apple should ensure that it is not sending funds to any of these organizations — especially now when there’s no shortage of evidence or information about the unlawful activities of the settlement movement in the West Bank,” she said. 

The report also notes that Apple's donation matching programs include ‘Friends of the IDF’ — a nonprofit entity designated for raising funds for Israeli military service members. This organization says it has transferred $34.5 million in donations to the Israeli military within the initial weeks of Israel's brutal war on Gaza. 

In April, a number of Apple employees revealed that colleagues who showed any form of support for Palestinians following the onset of Israel's bombing campaign in the Gaza Strip, such as involvement with pro-Palestine group Apples4Ceasefire or wearing pins, bracelets, and kuffiyehs frequently faced disciplinary measures or termination of their employment.