Kristina Roberts
Microsoft, one of the biggest tech companies in the world, is facing growing anger from its own employees over its business ties with Israel during the war in Gaza. Many workers at Microsoft believe the company’s artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud computing services are being used by the Israeli military in ways that harm Palestinians. Over the past few months, employees have held protests, spoken out at company events, and even lost their jobs for raising concerns. Some say the situation inside Microsoft is reaching a breaking point.
Employees Disrupt Company Events, Get Fired
In early April, during an event celebrating Microsoft’s 50th anniversary, two employees—Ibtihal Aboussad and Vaniya Agrawal—interrupted a speech by Mustafa Suleyman, a top AI executive at the company. They were protesting Microsoft’s work with Israel. Within days, both were fired. This was not the first time employees had spoken out. In March, during another event in Seattle, current and former workers shouted down Microsoft President Brad Smith and former CEO Steve Ballmer. Outside the building, protesters projected a message on the wall: “Microsoft powers genocide.”
The protests are part of a larger movement inside Microsoft. For more than a year, employees have been discussing their concerns on company message boards, in emails, and in meetings with Microsoft’s “workplace conflict” team. Many feel the company should cut ties with Israel because of how its technology is being used in Gaza. Microsoft has not responded to requests for comment on these issues.
Tech Workers Say AI and Cloud Services Are Used in War
Reports have shown that Microsoft provides AI and cloud computing services to the Israeli military. Since the war in Gaza began in October 2023, Israel has relied heavily on these technologies. One former Microsoft employee, Hossam Nasr, said the company is “very close to a tipping point” because of rising anger among workers.
Nasr pointed to several protests that have happened in recent months. In February, during Microsoft’s first big in-person meeting since the pandemic, five employees stood up with T-shirts that spelled out: “Does Our Code Kill Kids, Satya?”—referring to Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella. Security quickly removed them from the room. In October, workers held a lunchtime vigil for Palestinians killed in the war. Nasr and another employee, Abdo Mohamed, helped organize the event—both were fired soon after.
Workers Feel Guilty, Fear Retaliation
Ibtihal Aboussad, one of the employees fired after protesting, told The Guardian that she had been struggling with her job for months. As a software engineer working on AI, she worried that her work might be helping the Israeli military. “Recent reporting showed me more and more Microsoft’s deep ties to the Israeli government,” she said. After reading an article about how U.S.-made AI was being used in Gaza, she decided she could no longer stay at the company. “It showed that AI is being used to target and murder Palestinians… I began thinking, there’s no way I can stay at Microsoft and have clean hands.”
Aboussad said Microsoft keeps its contracts with the Israeli government secret, so employees don’t know exactly how their work is being used. Still, she wondered: “I’m not confident my paycheck doesn’t originate from money that comes from the Israeli government.” After speaking out, she was fired. She says several of her coworkers are now thinking about quitting too.
Double Standards in Company Discussions
Even before the public protests, Microsoft employees had been arguing about the war on internal message boards. Some workers posted strong opinions, with one saying there was “no symmetry” between Hamas’s attacks and Israel’s defense. Others who expressed sympathy for Palestinians were called “terrorist supporters.”
Employees who criticized Israel say Microsoft has treated them unfairly. They claim the company deletes their posts or warns them about “company values” when they talk about Gaza, while pro-Israel comments are allowed. One worker shared emails from Microsoft’s employee relations team, which handles workplace conflicts. The emails showed that employees were told to avoid words like “ethnic cleansing” when describing Israel’s actions. In November 2023, Microsoft blocked all discussions about Israel and Gaza in its company-wide message board.
Tech Industry Faces Similar Protests
Microsoft is not the only tech company dealing with employee protests over Israel. Google workers have also spoken out against their company’s contracts with the Israeli military. In February, Google changed its AI rules, removing a promise not to use AI for weapons or surveillance.
At Microsoft, the protests are growing. Former employee Hossam Nasr believes more workers will quit or speak out in the coming months. With each protest and firing, more employees are realizing how deeply their company is involved in the war—and many don’t want to be part of it.
