Palantir offers opportunity to students looking to flee antisemitism on campus

Palantir CEO and co-founder Alex Karp criticized elite university leaders for failing to condemn genocidal antisemitic rhetoric

Palantir on Thursday announced that it will launch an initiative to provide opportunities at the company for students who are facing antisemitism on college campuses.

The software giant co-founded by Peter Thiel posted on X, formerly Twitter, to express that Palantir is "committed to defending the principles that make democratic rule possible" along with "a rejection of narrow thinking, including fear and skepticism of the other and outright bigotry." 

It also called out the "egregious levels of antisemitism in our society, especially at our most elite educational institutions" and added, "Some of these organizations seem structurally incapable of taking any steps to reform themselves."

"Students on campuses are terrified and have been instructed by administrators to hide their Judaism. We are launching an initiative for students who because of antisemitism fear for their safety on campus and need to seek refuge outside traditional establishments of higher education," the company wrote. "They are welcome to join Palantir, and we are setting aside 180 positions for them immediately. More details to follow shortly."

PALANTIR CEO ALEX KARP TRASHES CORPORATE AMERICA FOR SILENCE ON ISRAEL AFTER THE OCT 7 ATTACK

Palantir CEO Alex Karp

Palantir co-founder and CEO Alex Karp criticized universities and other institutions for failing to respond to antisemitism and defend Israel as the company announced an initiative for students looking to flee campuses over antisemitism. (STEFANI REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images / Getty Images)

Palantir did not immediately respond to a request for comment and additional information on the initiative.

Alex Karp, co-founder and CEO of Palantir, said Thursday in an appearance on FOX Business’ "The Claman Countdown" that the company "stands for Western values" and said the importance of those values was highlighted by the testimony of the presidents of Harvard University, the University of Pennsylvania and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology regarding antisemitism on campus.

Ticker Security Last Change Change %
PLTR PALANTIR TECHNOLOGIES INC. 23.32 +0.78 +3.44%

UPENN DONOR WITHDRAWS $100M DONATION AFTER PRESIDENT'S CONGRESSIONAL TESTIMONY ON ANTISEMITISM

"And if you don’t think Western values like transparency, fairness, protection of civil liberties are important, watch the abysmal appearance of those presidents from our elite institutions and ask yourself what it means to be represented by people who cannot condemn genocidal rhetoric while restricting every form of free speech over the last 20 years," Karp said.

"We must do better in the battlefield of ideas, and we have to protect the values that are near and dear to all of our hearts, or at least all of us that want a better and stronger world," he added. "And this new, thin and highly destructive religion whose vapors are being inhaled and kept in the lungs of our young elite students are dangerous to the world and dangerous to our society. And those of us, especially like myself, who are considered progressive — we must speak up."

PFIZER CEO SLAMS PRESIDENTS OF ELITE COLLEGES OVER ‘DESPICABLE’ ANTISEMITISM

Palantir Technologies logo

Software firm Palantir offers services to private sector companies and government agencies. (Rafael Henrique/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images / Getty Images)

Palantir’s announcement comes less than a week after Karp spoke at the Reagan National Defense Forum and blasted companies for their "abysmal failure at standing up to people who are anti-American, who are breathing the vapors of a thin new religion at elite schools."

Karp added that many of those people "actually believe it would be better to have the world run by China than by America."

He also said, "As far as I can tell, there are only three companies that have been publicly pro-Israel on Oct. 7," naming Booz Allen, Anduril Industries and Palantir as the three and adding that as business leaders, "We have to do better."

GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE

"Like, somehow the corporate elite of this country thinks when it’s time to make money, you stand up. And when it’s time to stand up, you go play golf. And like, we’ve got to change that. That’s our fault, that’s no one else’s fault," Karp said.

FOX Business’ Chris Pandolfo contributed to this report.