Two Microsoft employees, recently terminated for organizing a vigil in memory of slain Palestinians in Gaza, allege that their dismissal was a form of retaliation by the company for their pro-Palestinian stance.
Abd Mohamed, a researcher and data scientist, along with Hossam Nasr, a software engineer, orchestrated the vigil outside Microsoft’s Redmond, Washington headquarters on October 24th, only to be fired later that evening.
Nasr voiced, “Microsoft caved to internal and external pressures to retaliate by terminating my employment and shutting down events. It wasn’t due to policy infractions, but simply because we dared to humanize Palestinians and challenge Microsoft’s association with a military accused of genocide.” Nasr’s show of support for Palestine has garnered attention on social media and employee communication platforms within Microsoft.
Both individuals were part of No Azure for Apartheid, a group within Microsoft advocating against the sale of the company’s cloud computing technology to Israel.
The group is urging Microsoft to terminate all Azure contracts and partnerships with Israel, demand a cease-fire in the Gaza conflict, and uphold the freedom of speech for employees.
Microsoft refuted claims that the dismissals were related to activism. A company spokesperson emphasized the importance of maintaining a professional work environment while ensuring compliance with policy and behavioral expectations.
Mohamed and Nasr contest the notion that the vigil was disruptive or violated Microsoft’s policies. They assert that the event was conducted to raise funds for humanitarian efforts in Gaza and followed standard procedures for employee charity events.
More than 200 employees participated in the vigil, either in person or virtually, as reported by There is no azure in apartheid.
Nasr and Mohamed maintain that they had engaged with Microsoft beforehand to address any concerns about the vigil, which was an act of remembrance for Palestinian lives lost in the conflict and to spotlight Microsoft’s ties with Israel.
At the time, Nasr received a call from Microsoft at 9 p.m. on October 24, although groups had announced his termination on social media earlier.
The No Azure for Apartheid group views the terminations as retaliatory and accuses Microsoft of intimidating Palestinian voices. They seek reinstatement and clarification on the premature disclosure of the dismissals.
Source: www.theguardian.com
