WebSummit Opens Without Israelis, Features Palestinian Pavilion and China Focus
Translated & summarized from Globes by baba
The WebSummit technology conference in Lisbon opened without Israeli companies, featuring a "Palestine" pavilion and a strong focus on China's AI industry. Founder Paddy Cosgrave, who previously faced backlash for anti-Israel comments, embraced Chinese tech leaders. The event's shift away from Israeli participation follows a boycott initiated after Cosgrave's remarks last October, which led to sponsor withdrawals and his temporary resignation.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- WebSummit opened in Lisbon without Israeli companies, featuring a "Palestine" pavilion and emphasis on China's AI.
- Founder Paddy Cosgrave praised China's AI industry, calling it the future of technology.
- The conference saw a prominent "Palestine" pavilion showcasing several regional companies.
- Cosgrave's past anti-Israel comments led to a boycott and withdrawal of Israeli participation.
- Major sponsors like Intel, Google, Amazon, and Siemens previously withdrew due to the controversy.
The annual WebSummit technology conference, held in Lisbon and founded by Irish entrepreneur Paddy Cosgrave, opened this week with a notable absence of Israeli companies and a prominent "Palestine" pavilion. Cosgrave, who previously sparked controversy with anti-Israel remarks following the October 7th attacks, embraced China's AI and robotics industry during his opening address, stating, "The future of technology is largely Chinese." He highlighted the participation of over 50 talents from Chinese AI labs and asserted that Chinese companies are building more for their shared future than any other globally.
The conference, which has attracted tens of thousands of tech leaders annually since 2009, was once a key destination for Israeli entrepreneurs. However, following Cosgrave's critical tweets about Israel's actions in Gaza in October 2023, many prominent Israeli tech figures, including founders from WIZ and Island, withdrew their participation. This led to a boycott that resulted in major sponsors like Intel, Google, Amazon, and Siemens pulling out, causing Cosgrave to resign. He later returned to his role five months later, and the conference has proceeded without Israeli representation since.
This year's event features sponsorship from Google, Meta, and Apple. The "Palestine" pavilion showcased several companies, including Saudi software firm Nabeeh, Jordanian-based Jusoor, and Palestinian mobile game company PlinkPlay. WebSummit's Asia-Pacific manager, Casey Lau, vocally supported Palestine on stage, receiving loud applause from the audience.
Cosgrave has a history of controversy, having previously invited controversial figures like Marine Le Pen to speak and expressing sympathy for Russian President Vladimir Putin. WebSummit also holds an annual conference in Qatar, with a senior Qatari government official attending the opening event.