Engineer who spoke out against Amazon’s Israel contract in email to CEO Andy Jassy gets suspended

Amazon

Amazon has suspended a Palestinian software engineer after he publicly criticized the company’s business ties with Israel. The move has sparked debate inside the tech industry, where employees at major firms have been voicing concerns over similar contracts.

Ahmed Shahrour, who works in Amazon’s Whole Foods division in Seattle, was placed on paid suspension after he raised objections to Project Nimbus, a $1.2 billion cloud computing deal that Amazon and Google signed with the Israeli government in 2021.

According to a message from Amazon’s HR, Shahrour’s posts on internal Slack channels and a letter sent to top executives — including CEO Andy Jassy — may have violated company policies. His access to email and work tools has also been revoked while the investigation is underway.

In his letter, Shahrour said he felt he was living in “constant dissonance” writing code for a company whose profits, he believes, indirectly support Israeli actions in Gaza. He has also accused Amazon of silencing pro-Palestinian voices. He pointed to instances where employees were allegedly warned or even fired for sharing pro-Palestinian content, while anti-Palestinian posts remained online in other workplace groups.

Amazon, however, denies the claim. Spokesperson Brad Glasser said the company does not tolerate discrimination, harassment, or threatening language of any kind, but did not comment directly on Shahrour’s suspension.

This is not the first time tech employees have faced disciplinary action over protests tied to Israel. Earlier this year, Microsoft fired four workers who demonstrated at company headquarters as part of the “No Azure for Apartheid” campaign. Google also dismissed 28 employees in April 2024 after coordinated sit-ins against Project Nimbus. Both companies have since tightened security at offices and public events.

Shahrour’s case highlights a growing rift between tech giants and their workers, many of whom argue that lucrative government contracts are at odds with company values. As Amazon continues its investigation, his suspension has become another flashpoint in the wider debate over free expression, workplace activism, and corporate responsibility in the global tech industry.