Swiss Foreign Ministry has Palantir on radar over Gaza-linked concerns: Report

The Swiss Foreign Ministry is examining whether US data analytics firm Palantir must register with Swiss authorities under the country's mercenary law, following reports about the company's controversial role in Israel's military operations in Gaza, Swissinfo reported on Monday.

Zurich serves as a hub for Palantir's European business relations, and the company has built significant ties with Swiss corporations and location promoters despite no federal agency or army contract materializing, according to the report. Around 60 people work in Zurich on developing and distributing software products, including Foundry, which the company says is focused on civilian use but can also be used in defense contexts.

Under Swiss mercenary legislation, firms that "provide private security services abroad from Switzerland" or support logistical infrastructure must register with the federal government, and "all planned activities outside of Switzerland must be declared to the foreign ministry." The ministry is required to investigate "any credible allegations related to the mercenary law," and action was triggered by enquiries from the Swiss media outlets Republik and the WAV research collective, along with other reporting on Palantir's activities.

When contacted, a Swiss Foreign Ministry spokesperson told Swissinfo that "an examination is underway to establish whether such a declaration obligation exists for Palantir." If so, the company would have to register its activities and obtain approval from a Swiss authority, which could also lead to it being officially considered a Swiss military technology company.

Palantir executives have acknowledged the firm's reputation challenges in Europe, the report said. In previous meetings with journalists, the company said that customers "always retain full control over their data and all subsequent analysis and decision-making processes," and that no business directly related to Israel is conducted from Zurich.