Microsoft terminated two employees who organized an unsanctioned vigil at its Redmond, Washington, campus to honor Palestinians killed in Gaza amid the Israel-Hamas conflict. The employees, members of the group “No Azure for Apartheid,” allege they were dismissed hours after hosting the lunchtime event. The group opposes Microsoft’s cloud technology contracts with the Israeli government, which they argue complicates the company’s stance on human rights.
The employees, Abdelrahman Mohamed and Hossam Nasr, both Egyptian nationals, shared with The Associated Press that they were informed of their dismissal by phone. Mohamed now faces a 60-day period to secure a new role to keep his work visa. Nasr stated that the vigil was organized to honor victims and address Microsoft’s involvement in alleged human rights violations.
The terminations follow similar actions at Google, which earlier this year laid off over 50 employees after employee protests linked to “Project Nimbus,” a $1.2 billion joint AI and cloud contract between Google, Amazon, and the Israeli government. In its statement, Microsoft explained the firings as adherence to “internal policy” while reiterating a commitment to a “professional and respectful work environment,” but declined further details.
Nasr claims his firing was posted on social media by Stop Antisemitism, a watchdog group, before he was formally informed by Microsoft. The same group had previously pressured Microsoft’s CEO to take action regarding Nasr’s public statements on Israel. The situation underscores the growing tension among tech companies over employee activism related to political and ethical issues.
