Oracle, the tech giant co-founded by billionaire Larry Ellison, has positioned itself as a leading contender to acquire TikTok following a U.S. Supreme Court decision upholding a ban on the Chinese-owned app. According to a report by The Intercept, Oracle’s strong pro-Israel stance and its partnerships with Israeli government agencies have made it a natural choice for the takeover. However, this alignment has sparked significant internal dissent among its global workforce.
Oracle CEO Safra Catz, an Israeli-American, has publicly reinforced the company’s support for Israel, stating, “For employees, it’s clear: if you’re not for America or Israel, don’t work here—this is a free country.” This rhetoric has reportedly created a climate of fear within the company, with employees facing repression and punishment for expressing pro-Palestinian views.
The Intercept revealed that Oracle has actively clamped down on pro-Palestinian activism among its 160,000 employees. Last year, 68 Oracle employees signed an open letter criticizing the company’s collaborations with Israel, which include technology projects for the Israeli military and public relations software. Additionally, employees have raised concerns about biased internal policies, such as the removal of donation options for pro-Palestinian causes.
One employee was reportedly fired for creating a Palestinian solidarity symbol—a watermelon combined with Oracle’s logo—and sharing it on Slack and social media. The termination, according to The Intercept, was allegedly due to violations of the company’s branding policies.
The backlash has led to an internal crisis, with several employees expressing their desire to leave the company. “The environment is horrible, people are terrified to even mention Palestine,” one anonymous employee told The Intercept.
While other tech giants like Google and Amazon have faced criticism for their ties to Israel and suppression of pro-Palestinian voices, The Intercept highlights Oracle’s particularly steadfast commitment to Israel as a distinguishing factor.
Eric Sype, U.S. national organizer for 7amleh (the Arab Center for Social Media Advancement), told The Intercept, “We have been seeing a theme across the tech sector where pro-Palestinian voices inside companies have been targeted and repressed for their actions. This shows the influence that the right-wing Israeli government has on the tech sector in Silicon Valley.”
As Oracle solidifies its role in the TikTok acquisition, its internal conflicts underscore the growing intersection of geopolitics and corporate culture in the tech industry.
