Intel and Siemens said they are pulling out of Web Summit, the biggest technology conference in Europe, following remarks by the event’s leader that criticised Western support for Israel after the attacks on the country by the Islamic terror group Hamas.

Intel confirmed on Thursday that it was “withdrawing from Web Summit.”

A representative of Siemens, the German engineering and manufacturing company, said after having “reviewed the situation,” the company will no longer be a partner or attend the event this year.

Y Combinator’s Garry Tan, Sequoia Capital’s Ravi Gupta, and other prominent venture capitalists have also cancelled plans to attend the event. Several Jewish tech executives have also dropped out.

Paddy Cosgrave, who runs the event, issued an apology earlier this week. “I understand that what I said, the timing of what I said, and the way it has been presented has caused profound hurt to many,” Cosgrave said on the Web Summit site. “To anyone who was hurt by my words, I apologise deeply.”