During Microsoft’s 50th-anniversary celebration, two employees took a stand against the company’s involvement in the Gaza genocide. Ibtihal Aboussad, 25, accused Microsoft of selling AI-powered weapons to the Israeli military, contributing to the deaths of 50,000 people. She was joined by Vaniya Agrawal, another AI engineer, who also criticized the company’s executives for profiting from the violence and civilian massacres in Gaza.
The two women interrupted speeches from company leaders, including Bill Gates and Mustafa Suleyman, the CEO of Microsoft AI. Initially, Suleyman responded calmly to Aboussad’s protest, thanking her for speaking out, but both employees were later fired.
After being removed from the event, Aboussad sent an email to her colleagues explaining her actions: “Over the past year and a half, Arab, Palestinian, and Muslim communities at Microsoft have been silenced, intimidated, and discredited. We had no other choice but to raise our voices.”
This is not the first time tech workers have spoken out against their companies’ military ties. Last year, Google employees protested the Maven and Nimbus projects, which involve providing military systems to Israel. More than 50 employees were fired, and some were arrested. Amazon workers have also criticized the company for selling services that store sensitive data on Palestinian citizens for surveillance.
Microsoft has reportedly signed contracts worth $133 million with the Israeli Ministry of Defense, supplying systems used in bombings in Gaza and other operations. The incident highlights how companies prioritize profits over human lives, even the lives of children.
References:
https://qz.com/microsoft-fires-workers-israel-ai-contract-protest-1851775225