Microsoft has dismissed four employees in the United States after they staged protests inside the company’s offices against its links with Israel, at a time when the war in Gaza continues to draw global outrage.
The Firings
According to the protest group No Azure for Apartheid, two employees—Anna Hattle and Riki Fameli—were informed of their termination through voicemails earlier this week. The pair had been arrested along with five others after holding a sit-in inside the office of Microsoft President Brad Smith.
On Thursday, the group said two more employees, Nisreen Jaradat and Julius Shan, were also fired. They were part of an encampment set up on Microsoft’s Redmond campus in Washington state.
Microsoft said the dismissals followed “serious breaches” of company policy, adding that the protests had “created significant safety concerns” for staff.
Protesters’ Demands
The protest movement, No Azure for Apartheid—a direct reference to Microsoft’s Azure cloud services—has called on the tech giant to sever contracts with Israel and pay reparations to Palestinians affected by the war.
In a statement, Hattle accused the company of complicity in the conflict:
“We are here because Microsoft continues to provide Israel with the tools it needs to commit genocide while gaslighting and misdirecting its own workers about this reality.”
Surveillance Allegations
The demonstrations come after a joint investigation by The Guardian, +972 Magazine and Local Call. The report claimed that an Israeli military surveillance agency has been using Microsoft’s Azure cloud platform to store recordings of Palestinian phone calls from Gaza and the West Bank.
In response, Microsoft said it has commissioned law firm Covington & Burling LLP to review the findings.
Past Employee Unrest
This is not the first time the company has faced internal dissent. Earlier this year, Microsoft marked its 50-year relationship with Israel at a corporate event, where a speech by AI chief Mustafa Suleyman was interrupted by an employee protest. That worker, along with another colleague involved, was dismissed.
Microsoft’s Position
Company president Brad Smith has said Microsoft respects freedom of expression, “as long as it is exercised lawfully.” The firm maintains that employee demonstrations must not compromise safety or breach workplace conduct.
Broader Context
As the humanitarian crisis in Gaza deepens—with mounting civilian casualties and images of starvation circulating widely—companies, universities, and public institutions across the globe have faced waves of protests over their ties with Israel.
For Microsoft, one of the world’s most powerful technology companies, the latest firings highlight the growing tension between employee-led activism and corporate policies. The episode also underscores how the war in Gaza is reshaping debates far beyond the Middle East, reverberating inside boardrooms and technology hubs in the West.
