Microsoft has terminated two software engineers who protested the company’s ties to the Israeli military during its 50th anniversary celebrations, calling their actions “wilful misconduct” and disruption of operations. The employees, Ibtihal Aboussad and Vaniya Agrawal, had publicly condemned Microsoft’s alleged role in Israeli military operations in Gaza.
Aboussad, a Canadian engineer in Microsoft’s AI division, interrupted a keynote by AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman, calling him a “war profiteer” and accusing Microsoft of “powering genocide” in Palestine. She was immediately removed and later informed of her termination. Agrawal, who had already submitted her resignation, staged a separate protest during CEO Satya Nadella’s session. Microsoft ended her employment ahead of schedule.
Also Read: Protest Erupts in Support of Palestine at Microsoft’s 50th Anniversary Celebration
The protests follow growing criticism of tech firms over their involvement in warfare. Recent reports claim Microsoft and OpenAI technologies have been used in Israeli military targeting systems, sparking outrage among employees and rights groups. Microsoft did not confirm these claims but emphasized that workplace dissent must not disrupt business activities.
Advocacy group No Azure for Apartheid has denounced the firings as retaliation against whistleblowers, calling for the reinstatement of the employees. The incident echoes similar controversies at other tech giants, including Google, where workers have faced termination for protesting military contracts.
