V-POL Audit: Siemens

Corporate Communications & Public Stance

Statements on the Israel-Palestine Conflict

CEO Roland Busch posted a LinkedIn statement in October 2023 expressing “deepest sympathies” following the October 7 attacks and stating “we wholeheartedly condemn this terrorist action.” The statement did not address Palestinian civilian casualties or the subsequent Israeli military operations in Gaza ¹.

In October 2023, Siemens AG was among 100+ German companies that signed a statement condemning Hamas and expressing solidarity with Israel ².

No standalone corporate press release specifically addressing the Israel-Gaza conflict equivalent to Siemens’ Russia-Ukraine statement (March 2022) has been identified in available records.

Comparative Silence

Siemens AG issued explicit public statements suspending new business in Russia (March 2022) following the invasion of Ukraine. No equivalent statement regarding Israeli military operations in Gaza has been identified.

The company has not issued public statements specifically addressing Palestinian civilian casualties or the company’s operations in contested territories.

Market Framing

Siemens consistently frames Israeli operations using commercial and innovation-partnership language (“smart mobility,” “technology cooperation”) ³.

Annual reports list Israel within the broader “Europe, CIS, Africa, Middle East” regional segment without territorial qualification.

Operations in Occupied or Contested Territories

Territorial Presence

A1 Tel Aviv-Jerusalem Fast Train: Siemens Mobility won a €1 billion (NIS 4 billion) contract in 2018 for supply of 330 electric train cars to Israel Railways, including 15-year maintenance (extendable to 29 years) ⁴⁵. The A1 route crosses the Green Line into occupied West Bank in two areas, using occupied Palestinian land (some privately owned). Siemens Desiro HC trains became operational in December 2021 ⁴.

2024 Follow-on Order: Israel Railways placed a new order for 81 additional trains from Siemens Mobility in 2024 ⁴.

Great Sea Interconnector (formerly EuroAsia Interconnector): Siemens was selected as preferred contractor for HVDC converter stations linking Israel-Cyprus-Greece. The project faces delays and regulatory disputes between Greece and Cyprus ⁶⁷.

Traffic Control Systems: Through Israeli representative RS Industries, Siemens traffic control systems were documented on West Bank roads (Road 443, Road 1 at Mishor Adumim, Road 5) during 2009-2015 – roads where Palestinians are restricted ⁴.

Israel Prison Service: Through Israeli representative Orad Group, Siemens fire detection and maintenance systems were contracted for Israel Prison Service facilities from 2012-2023 ⁴.

Siemens does NOT have direct contracts for the Jerusalem Light Rail (Red/Green/Blue lines). Those contracts are held by CAF and Shapir ⁴.

UN Database Status

Siemens AG is NOT listed in the UN OHCHR Business and Human Rights database of companies involved in settlement activity (A/HRC/60/19, September 2025) ⁸.

Israel Railways Corporation Ltd. IS listed in the UN database (entry 84) for activities related to natural resources and pollution ⁸.

Legal & Regulatory Scrutiny

No binding regulatory action or formal legal proceeding in any UN or national court forum specifically concerning Siemens’ occupied-territory operations has been identified in available records ⁹.

Turkish Boycott Contract Controversy (2018): Siemens Turkish subsidiary allegedly signed a contract with Turkish State Railways containing a boycott-of-Israel clause to secure a $360 million deal. Siemens denied the allegation. New York and Arizona officials reviewed the matter following a Zachor Legal Institute complaint ¹⁰¹¹.

Civil Society & Boycott Campaign History

BDS Movement lists Siemens as a Priority 1 boycott target, citing involvement in the EuroAsia Interconnector/Great Sea Interconnector and Israel Railways ¹².

Palestinian civil society sent an open letter to Siemens in 2021 demanding withdrawal from the Jerusalem Light Rail project. Siemens reportedly reaffirmed its commitment to its Israeli business ⁴.

Employee protests occurred at Siemens facilities in 2024, with workers calling for the company to review contracts linked to Israeli state infrastructure ¹³¹⁴¹⁵.

Cal Poly Humboldt students occupied Siemens Hall in April 2024 demanding university divestment from companies linked to Israel ¹³.

Activists from “This Is Not A Drill” smashed glass doors at Siemens Cambridge office in October 2024 ¹⁵.

Didsbury for Palestine has led ongoing protests at Siemens UK offices since May 2025 ¹⁴.

Internal Governance, Content & Retail Policies

Employee Relations

No public evidence has been identified of Siemens dismissing, disciplining, or taking formal HR action against employees specifically for pro-Palestinian speech.

External protests and internal petitions at Siemens facilities in 2024 have been documented ¹³¹⁴¹⁵.

Platform & Editorial Policy

Siemens AG is an industrial conglomerate, not a media or platform company. This category is not applicable.

Retail & Supply Chain Practices

Siemens is not a retail consumer goods company. This category is not applicable in the same manner as consumer goods scrutiny.

Siemens publishes a Supplier Code of Conduct and Human Rights Statement that set out supply-chain responsibility standards in general terms, but neither specifically addresses occupied-territory supply chains or settlement-origin goods ⁹.

Brand Heritage & State Partnerships

Marketing Positioning

Siemens does not prominently market itself using military heritage or defense-sector origins in current commercial branding.

The company operates Siemens Dynamo innovation lab in Tel Aviv, launched in 2018 at SOSA co-working space ¹⁶.

Siemens has operated in Israel since 1924, with over 800 employees currently ³.

Institutional Ties

Israel Innovation Authority: Siemens participates in the MNC Collaboration with Multinational Corporations Program run by the Israel Innovation Authority, covering joint R&D and industrial digitalization initiatives ³.

No evidence has been identified of formal sponsorship of “Brand Israel” public diplomacy campaigns.

Lobbying, Advocacy, Financing & Logistics

Political Lobbying — United States

Siemens AG spent $6.16 million on US federal lobbying in 2024 (aggregate figure) ¹⁷.

No specific lobbying line items explicitly addressing Israel-Palestine policy or anti-BDS legislation have been identified in available OpenSecrets summaries ¹⁷.

Political Lobbying — Germany

Siemens AG is registered in the German Bundestag Lobbying Register (Entry R001875) with annual expenditure of €980,001-1,210,000 (FY 2024-2025), employing 2.49 FTE lobbying staff, with membership in 39 associations including BDI, Bitkom, and Atlantik-Brücke ¹⁸.

No specific disclosed lobbying relating to the Israel-Palestine conflict or anti-BDS legislation at the Bundestag level has been identified in available records.

Financial Contributions

No public evidence has been identified of Siemens AG making material corporate donations to Israeli settlement organizations, parastatal military-welfare funds (e.g., FIDF, JNF), or the Jewish National Fund (JNF).

Crisis Asset Mobilization

No public evidence has been identified of Siemens AG directing corporate resources, logistics, or infrastructure specifically to Israeli state or military operations during the 2023-2024 Gaza conflict.

The contrast with Siemens’ Ukraine posture (suspension of new business in Russia) is documented.

Corporate Structure & Primary Mission

Legal Form and Ownership

Siemens AG is a publicly listed German joint-stock company (Aktiengesellschaft), headquartered in Munich, traded on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (SIE).

Ownership is widely held with approximately 830,000 shareholders. The Siemens family and Siemens Stiftung maintain minority interests. No single controlling shareholder.

The German Federal Government does not hold a “golden share” or special voting rights.

Siemens AG is not a state-owned enterprise.

Relevant Subsidiaries

Siemens Energy AG: Approximately 25% owned by Siemens AG as of 2023; holds separate governance; reported with Israeli electricity grid infrastructure contracts.

Siemens Healthineers AG: Majority-owned by Siemens AG; operates through Israeli distributors and direct supply relationships with Israeli hospitals.

Executive & Leadership Footprint

CEO Roland Busch — Public Advocacy

Roland Busch has not issued standalone public statements, op-eds, or dedicated social media posts specifically addressing the Israel-Gaza conflict beyond the October 2023 LinkedIn post ¹.

No signed open letters by Busch or other Siemens AG leadership supporting Israeli government positions or condemning Palestinian actions have been identified.

Personal Philanthropy & Financing

No public evidence has been identified of personal donations, family foundation grants, or fundraising by Roland Busch or other Siemens executives directed toward Israeli advocacy organizations, FIDF, JNF, or equivalent parastatal or military-welfare funds.

Board Memberships & Affiliations

No Siemens Supervisory Board member has been publicly identified as holding a leadership role in Israeli state-aligned advocacy organizations in available records.

End Notes