Microsoft fires more employees over Israel contract protests

Microsoft

Microsoft has dismissed two additional employees for participating in protests against its contracts with the Israeli government and military, bringing the total number of firings to four in recent days, according to a report by The Verge.

The employees, Nisreen Jaradat and Julius Shan, were terminated “in connection” with demonstrations at Microsoft’s Redmond headquarters, according to Hossam Nasr, an organiser with the activist group No Azure for Apartheid.

The group has staged a series of protests this year over Microsoft’s Azure cloud contracts in Israel. Actions have included interrupting company executives during live-streamed presentations, attempting to occupy a campus plaza with tents and tables, and splashing red paint across a Microsoft sign — an incident that led to 18 arrests.

Jaradat had also circulated a mass internal email criticising Microsoft’s handling of Palestinian workers and defying restrictions on language about Gaza. Shan, along with others, was involved in a protest that saw activists gain entry to Microsoft president Brad Smith’s office, live-streaming from inside before being escorted out.

Smith later condemned the protests, saying the actions were “not ok,” but added that Microsoft is “working every day” to investigate possible misuse of its cloud technology in Israel.

For No Azure for Apartheid, the firings highlight what they see as retaliation against employees raising ethical concerns. For Microsoft, however, the escalating protests are testing its ability to balance internal dissent, public image, and lucrative government contracts.