He Mobile World Congress Last year it brought together more than 2,900 exhibitors from more than 1,200 countries. The influential technology fair that Barcelona It has hosted every year for 20 years and will try next week to exceed that figure. To do this, it will have the participation of technology companies from all over the world, also from affected territories such as Palestine. “We will have Israeli and Palestinian companies for the first time at the MWC,” he celebrated in January John HoffmanCEO and director of GSMAthe global employers’ association of companies telecommunications that organizes the MWC 2026.
From March 2 to 5, the congress held at the Gran Via venue in Barcelona Fair will bring together a total of 11 Palestinian technology organizations or companies represented by the Palestine Information Technology Association of Companies, which serves as an umbrella that gives voice to the “dynamic, innovative and resilient” technology community of the palestinian territoriesformed by Gaza y West Bankboth illegally occupied by Israel.
These are firms such as Radix Technologies or Top MENA Talents, specialized in the development of software e artificial intelligence; the fintech Qredit, Cystack, specialized in cybersecurity; the veteran PITS, which provides intelligent tracking solutions by GPS and fleet management; or GGateway, a women-led IT outsourcing company.
Palestinian civil defense teams work to recover bodies under the rubble, in Beit Lahia, north of Gaza City. / MOHAMMED SABER / EFE
In addition to these companies, the venture capital fund Ibtikar will also be present (innovation in Arabic) or the Ghadeer Future Accelerators accelerator, both focused on enhancing the Palestinian technological ecosystem.
All of them will participate in the 4YFNthe satellite congress that the technology fair dedicates to emerging companies or start-upsa space of synergies that allows entrepreneurs to project their projects to the world and connect with potential investors.
Israeli companies
In September 2025, Israel assured that the country’s technology sector – one of the most cutting-edge in the world, especially in fields such as cybersecurity – would not attend MWC 2026 in retaliation for criticism from the Spanish Government and the president. Pedro Sanchez al genocide perpetrated by the Israeli army in Gaza. The Executive of Benjamin Netanyahu He also then pointed out the “anti-Israeli measures” adopted by the Barcelona City Councilwhich in May suspended its relations and twinning with Tel Aviv “until respect for the International law“.
Israel assured in September that it would boycott MWC 2026 due to the “anti-Israel” measures of the Spanish Government, which denounced the genocide in Gaza
Even so, it seems that these threats of boycott They will remain on wet paper. According to the MWC portal, a total of 39 companies from the Jewish State will come to the Catalan capital to participate in the technology fair. Last year, there were 46. Their presence already triggered criticism and protests from anti-Zionist movements and parallel organizations such as the Mobile Social Congress, which denounced that, by not vetoing Israel’s presence – as was done with Russia after the invasion of Ukraine—, the fair is “complicit in genocide.”
Environment at 4YFN, the start-up congress hosted by the MWC. / Ferran Nadeu / EPC
“There will be Israeli and Palestinian companies. We have the participation of many countries because we are a global platform open to business,” he confirmed. Vivek Badrinathgeneral director of GSMA, in an interview with EL PERIÓDICO. “We only deny the participation of people sanctioned by the EU, the US, Switzerland or the United Kingdom, which is where we have our headquarters. Fortunately for us, in this crazy world, there are still many people who can come to the MWC.”
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