War in Gaza continues to echo beyond the immediate conflict, reaching unexpected arenas. Tech giants like Google, Apple, Amazon, and other leaders in the industry launched a coordinated boycott of Web Summit, which prompted questions about the event’s direction. The congress, widely regarded as Europe’s premier technology gathering, faced scrutiny after its chief executive criticized the military intervention. The situation centered on Israel and Hamas.
On October 13, Paddy Cosgrave publicly condemned the military actions of the Jewish state. He stated that he was astonished by the rhetoric and actions of many Western leaders, while noting the Irish government had done the right thing for once. He described alleged war crimes and insisted that such acts must be condemned, even when they occur among allies, as recounted on his X post. The remarks intensified the debate around the event and its leadership.
Cosgrave’s statements sparked strong reactions. Israel withdrew its participation in the congress, and the Portuguese ambassador to Ireland criticized Cosgrave as being tolerant of terrorism and holding extreme views, calling for a boycott. The tech community reacted with alarm. In the days that followed, major companies including Google, Meta, Amazon, Intel, and Siemens pulled back from participating, alongside several startup accelerators and investment groups. A number of Israeli companies also reassessed their involvement.
Apologies that have no effect
Cosgrave issued a public apology in an effort to prevent further backlash. He condemned Hamas’s deadly attack and urged the unconditional release of all hostages, stating these views in a post on the Web Summit blog. He also stressed that Israel must adhere to international law and the Geneva Conventions, arguing that commitments to war crimes should be avoided.
The apology did not quell the controversy. Despite pledges not to back down, pressure continued to grow and Cosgrave announced his resignation as executive director of the congress, while still owning a substantial stake in the organization. Web Summit attracts around 70,000 attendees each year and is widely recognized as one of the world’s largest technology conferences. This year’s event took place in Lisbon, running from November 13 to 16. Reports from various media outlets indicated that some firms that supported the boycott were weighing a return to participation.