SAP, Intel, Oracle and others show solidarity with their workers in Israel
Several multinational tech companies have announced that they will provide financial assistance to their employees in Israel who are affected by the ongoing war with Hamas. The companies, which include SAP, Intel, Oracle, Nvidia and Cisco, said they want to show solidarity and support to their workers who are facing hardships and challenges during the conflict.
SAP, a German business software maker, said it will pay its employees living in communities close to the Gaza Strip or on the Lebanese border who were evacuated on the order of the Home Front Command a one-time grant of NIS 6,500 ($1,619) per family member. For example, a married SAP employee with two children will receive a grant of NIS 26,000.
Employees who reside within the 40-kilometer radius of the Gaza border and have not been evacuated from their homes will be entitled to a one-time grant worth NIS 2,600 per family member.
SAP has been operating its R&D center SAP Labs in Israel since 1998, employing some 900 developers, mostly at its headquarters in Ra’anana and at another center in Tel Aviv.
“We are deeply saddened by the tragic loss of life experienced by the State of Israel these past few weeks and express our deepest support for the afflicted families and individuals,” said SAP CEO Christian Klein.
Intel plans to give $5,000 to each of its 12,000 workers in Israel
US semiconductor giant Intel Corp. is said to be planning to financially assist its 12,000 employees in Israel with a one-time grant of $5,000, which will be paid at the end of November, according to a report by The Times of Israel. Intel has four R&D centers and two manufacturing plants in Israel, where it has invested over $35 billion since 1974.
Intel’s plant in Kiryat Gat (Courtesy)
Intel did not confirm or deny the report, but said in a statement that it “is committed to supporting our employees and their families during this difficult time.”
Intel also said it has donated NIS 10 million ($2.5 million) to various organizations that help people affected by the war, such as Magen David Adom (MDA), Latet, Leket Israel and others.
Other tech firms join the initiative
Other global tech firms that have operations in Israel have also joined the initiative to help their employees cope with the war. Oracle, a US software company that employs about 1,000 people in Israel, said it will give each of its workers a one-time grant of NIS 5,000 ($1,245).
Nvidia Corp., a US chipmaker that acquired Israeli firm Mellanox Technologies for $7 billion last year, said it will give each of its 3,000 employees in Israel a one-time grant of NIS 10,000 ($2,490).
Cisco Systems Inc., a US networking giant that employs about 2,000 people in Israel, said it will give each of its workers a one-time grant of NIS 7,500 ($1,868).
The companies said they hope their gestures will help their employees deal with the financial and emotional stress caused by the war.
The war with Hamas
The war with Hamas erupted on October 7 when some 3,000 terrorists burst into Israel from the Gaza Strip by land, sea and air. They killed over 1,400 people, mostly civilians, including babies, children and the elderly. They also dragged at least 243 hostages — including some 30 children — to Gaza.
Since then, Hamas and allied terrorist factions have fired thousands of rockets and missiles at Israeli cities and towns. The Israeli army has responded with airstrikes and ground operations to stop the attacks and rescue the hostages. The army has called up more than 300,000 reservists – many of whom work in global tech companies – to join the fighting.
The war has also sparked riots and violence between Jews and Arabs within Israel. The government has declared a state of emergency and deployed police and soldiers to restore order.
The international community has called for an immediate ceasefire and a peaceful resolution of the conflict. However, Hamas has rejected any truce that does not include its demands for lifting the blockade on Gaza and releasing Palestinian prisoners.
