Leaked Cisco Documents Reveal Tech Giant's Role in Israeli Intelligence Support

Leaked internal documents from American technology company Cisco reveal extensive business ties with Israel's military and security establishment, including efforts to maintain and expand contracts with intelligence agencies during the Gaza war. The documents show Cisco provided network equipment and digital infrastructure, intervened to fix technical failures impacting Israeli intelligence systems, and sent employees to military units under strict security protocols. According to documents obtained by The Guardian, Israeli military intelligence networks experienced repeated outages lasting hours about a year into the war, causing dissatisfaction and threatening continued business with Cisco. An internal Cisco document from September 2025 estimated these failures significantly affected critical operations and damaged client trust. Cisco's contracts with Israeli military intelligence reportedly totaled around $67 million over three years, with the company treating the relationship as a strategic account requiring significant resources, despite international criticism of the Gaza war and internal company pressure.

Cisco initiated intensive efforts to resolve technical issues, mobilizing engineering and management teams for months. Employees were sent to meet with a secret Israeli military unit known as "Sapir," which has been involved in moving parts of the Israeli intelligence system underground since October 7, 2023. These repair and training efforts required field visits under heavy security to restore systems and rebuild trust. Following the repairs, Cisco described its efforts as a success story in managing the relationship, noting improved Israeli satisfaction from 2024 to mid-2025. The documents indicate that the entity Cisco referred to as "Israeli Intelligence Force" provides network infrastructure for several intelligence departments within the Israeli Ministry of Defense, likely referring to military intelligence directorate "Aman." Company employees also reported that sudden failures threatened intelligence units' access to military data.

Beyond fixing failures, the documents detail dozens of deals Cisco pursued in 2026 with Israeli government and military entities, including intelligence agencies and the air and naval forces, some related to artificial intelligence applications. Cisco's Splunk platform, which processes large data volumes, also made an offer to join "Project Nimbus," the controversial cloud computing contract between the Israeli government and Google and Amazon, though it's unclear if this materialized. Analysts note the significance of this data infrastructure in operating modern military and intelligence systems, as network equipment, servers, and data transfer systems form the technical foundation for information processing and operational systems, even if the company isn't a direct weapons manufacturer. Previous reports suggest Cisco has provided technological support to Israel for monitoring Palestinians, and the Israeli military views technology investment as crucial to its capabilities.

The leaks emerge as Cisco faces internal opposition from current and former employees regarding its business with the Israeli military. Angry employees leaked internal documents to The Guardian, while a group called "Bridge to Humanity" stated the cooperation contradicts the company's declared values. The group accused Cisco management of ignoring employee concerns about its products supporting military operations while continuing to protect and expand contracts, arguing that selling network equipment and software does not absolve the company of responsibility for how its products enable military activities. Cisco also faces criticism over its treatment of Palestinian, Arab, and Muslim employees following the war's outbreak. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission previously found reasonable cause to believe the company fostered a hostile work environment with racist rhetoric and employee rights violations, a conclusion Cisco rejected.

Analysts believe the Cisco controversy reflects growing scrutiny of tech companies' roles in armed conflicts, expanding the focus beyond AI and cloud services to the physical and technical infrastructure enabling these systems. Critics argue this infrastructure is as vital as the software it supports, and its absence could limit military digital operations. Investors have called for an independent human rights assessment of Cisco's dealings with the Israeli military, with a proposal to be voted on by shareholders this month. Cisco faces increasing pressure from employees, investors, and human rights organizations as demands for accountability from tech companies regarding the use of their products in military operations grow. Cisco declined to comment on the leaked documents, and the Israeli military stated it uses services from multiple companies and refused to comment on specific external contracts or services.