Google matches employee donations to pro-"Israeli" charities

American tech-giant, Google, has been matching employee donations to pro-"Israeli" charities through its corporate giving program, including organizations supporting "Israeli" soldiers and settlement activities in occupied Palestinian territories, Middle East Eye (MEE) reported.

Read more: Google search says Palestinian kuffiyeh a symbol of terrorism, triggering outrage

Internal documents reveal that Google facilitates donations via Benevity, a third-party platform that allows employees to direct a portion of their salary to selected causes. Among the supported charities are Friends of the Israeli Defense Forces (FIDF) and HaYovel, both controversial for their roles in the ongoing Israeli Occupation's aggression on Palestinians.

The FIDF, based in New York, funds programs for "Israeli" soldiers, including financial and emotional support. Since October 7, it reportedly raised USD 34.5 million for soldiers involved in Gaza operations.

HaYovel, a Missouri-based Christian Zionist organization, sends volunteers to work in "Israeli" settlements on occupied Palestinian land and provides security equipment for settler communities.

Critics have also highlighted IsraelGives, another Benevity-listed platform, which has previously been linked to donations for illegal settlements and paramilitary groups.

 - Corporate response -

A Google spokesperson defended the program, emphasizing Benevity’s role in vetting eligible organizations.

"For more than 15 years, we've given employees a credit to donate to a charity of their choosing at the end of each year. They can select from more than 200,000 eligible organizations around the world," the spokesperson told MEE.

 - Project Nimbus controversy -

The revelations add to Google’s existing controversies surrounding its USD 1.2 billion Project Nimbus partnership with "Israel", which provides cloud computing and AI services to the "Israeli" government and military.

Internal documents revealed employee and consultant concerns about potential human rights violations tied to the project.

Despite warnings from its own legal and policy teams, Google proceeded without embedding its AI principles, which could have restricted the use of its technology for surveillance or weapons.

 - Employee activism -

Over the past year, Google has faced internal disputes with employees protesting under the "Googlers Against Genocide" banner.

Read more: Google fires 28 employees for protesting $1.2 billion cloud deal with “Israeli” army

Reports of intimidation against pro-Palestinian activists within the company have surfaced, and a group called "No Tech for Apartheid" condemned Google’s disregard for human rights concerns.

Similar criticism has also been leveled at Apple, which uses Benevity and has matched donations to pro-"Israeli" groups like the FIDF and HaYovel.

Read more: 133 Apple employees demand company to stop funding Israeli Occupation

Apple employees have called for an investigation into these practices, citing concerns about supporting activities in occupied territories.