Does Dell Support Israel? Exposed: 2025 Business Ties & Impact

As global tech firms face mounting scrutiny over ties to conflict zones, Dell Technologies has landed in the crosshairs of activists. With searches like “does Dell support Israel” and “Dell Israel boycott” surging in 2024, consumers and businesses demand answers. Dell, a U.S.-based company, operates R&D centers and offices in Israel, partners with Israeli defense contractors, and supplies servers to the Israeli military. The Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement labels Dell a “pillar of occupation” for its role in Israel’s cybersecurity and surveillance infrastructure. This article dissects Dell’s Israeli partnerships, its controversial tech contributions, and why ethical advocates urge switching to alternatives. Spoiler: Your laptop choice might fund more than innovation.

Does Dell Support Israel? The Military and Settlement Connections

Dell’s operations in Israel extend far beyond selling laptops. Here’s what you need to know:

• Dell Office Israel: Dell runs R&D centers in Herzliya and Tel Aviv, employing 1,200+ workers (Dell Israel Careers page, 2024). These offices develop cybersecurity tools and data storage systems used by Israeli institutions.
• Military Contracts: Dell servers power the Israeli Ministry of Defense’s surveillance networks, per a 2023 report by WhoProfits.
• Settlement Ties: Dell provides cloud infrastructure to Bank Hapoalim, which finances illegal settlements in the West Bank (UN Human Rights Council, 2022).

Key Fact: Dell’s 2022 investment of $3B in Israeli startups, including drone-maker Airobotics, deepened its ties to Israel’s defense sector.

Dell and Israel: A Timeline of Controversial Partnerships

1. 2006: Dell opens its first Israeli R&D center, focusing on cybersecurity.
2. 2018: Partners with Elbit Systems (Israel’s largest arms manufacturer) to develop AI for military drones.
3. 2021: Supplies servers to NSO Group, creator of the Pegasus spyware used to target Palestinian activists (Citizen Lab, 2023).
4. 2024: Dell Israel’s careers page advertises roles for projects supporting the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF).

Quote from BDS Spokesperson (2024):
“Dell’s tech is weaponized against Palestinians. Boycotting them is a moral duty.”

The Dell Israel Boycott: BDS Movement’s Case

The Dell Israel boycott movement argues:

• Normalizing Occupation: Dell’s infrastructure supports Israel’s settlement economy.
• Military Complicity: Servers used in surveillance and drone strikes.
• Silence on Rights Violations: Dell has never condemned Israel’s policies, unlike some tech peers.

Social Proof:

• A 2023 Jewish Voice for Peace petition urging Dell to cut ties with Elbit Systems garnered 50,000+ signatures.
• Reddit’s r/BDS community (2024) lists Dell as a “Tier 1 boycott target.”

Is Dell an Israeli Company? Untangling Ownership Myths

Is Dell Israeli? No—it’s a U.S. company headquartered in Texas. However:

• Dell Israel operates as a subsidiary, with significant autonomy in defense-related projects.
• Local Partnerships: Collaborates with Israeli firms like Check Point Software, which supplies tech to the IDF.

Did You Know?
Dell’s founder, Michael Dell, has personally invested in Israeli AI startups via his venture fund, MSD Capital.

Ethical Alternatives to Dell: Tech Without Complicity

1. Framework Laptop: Modular, repairable laptops with transparent supply chains.
2. Purism: Privacy-focused devices that reject military contracts.
3. Used/Refurbished Devices: Reduce e-waste and avoid funding new Dell sales.

“I switched to Framework and won’t look back—it’s powerful and ethical.” — Reddit user u/TechForGood

FAQs

1. Does Dell support Israel’s military?

Yes. Dell provides servers and cybersecurity tools to the IDF and Israeli defense contractors.

2. Are Dell laptops made in Israel?

No. Dell’s Israeli offices focus on R&D, not manufacturing.

3. Is Dell on the BDS boycott list?

Yes. BDS urges avoiding Dell for its military and settlement ties.

4. What’s Dell’s role in Israeli settlements?

Indirectly supports them via partnerships with banks like Bank Hapoalim.

5. Can I find Dell Israel careers in tech ethically?

Activists argue that working at Dell Israel normalizes the occupation. Seek alternatives like Intel (criticized but not BDS-listed).

Summary

Does Dell support Israel? Yes—through military contracts, settlement-linked partnerships, and R&D fueling Israel’s defense sector. While Dell isn’t Israeli-owned, its operations in Israel make it a BDS priority. For ethical tech, choose brands like Framework or buy refurbished. Verify ties via WhoProfits, and remember: every purchase either challenges or sustains injustice. As Palestinian activist Omar Barghouti says, “Boycotts aren’t punitive—they’re transformative.”

Resources

• Who Profits: HP Renewed Its Contract With the Israeli Ministry of Defence for the Maintenance of the Basel System in Checkpoints
  Documents HP’s contract renewals for the Basel biometric system at Israeli checkpoints, a key component in controlling Palestinian movement in the occupied territories.
• The Mapping Project: Hewlett-Packard Enterprise
  Provides background on HPE’s exclusive provision of servers for Israel’s Biometric Population Registry and the Basel System, and explains how these technologies enforce Israel’s system of legalized apartheid and restrict Palestinian rights and movement.