Microsoft Fires Employees Amid Protests Over Israel Ties

Microsoft has terminated two more employees, adding to the two fired the previous day, following a break-in at the office of Brad Smith, the company's vice chair and president. The actions were prompted by protests concerning the company's alleged connections to Israel.

A Microsoft spokesperson stated that the additional terminations were due to serious violations of company policies and the code of conduct. These violations included participation in on-site demonstrations that raised significant safety concerns for employees.

The initial break-in involved a group of seven individuals who staged a sit-in at Microsoft's global headquarters in Redmond, Washington. The advocacy group No Azure for Apartheid, comprised of Microsoft employees, stated that current and former employees from Microsoft, Google, and Oracle were among those involved in the occupation of Smith's office.

The protesters, who were arrested by police, were demanding that Microsoft sever ties with Israel. This demand followed a report that a unit of the Israeli military was using Microsoft's Azure cloud platform for surveillance in Gaza and the West Bank.

Microsoft confirmed that the first employee terminated had violated the Business Conduct Policy, participated in the break-in, and was arrested twice on company premises. The second employee was also involved in the break-in and subsequently arrested.

The company is continuing its investigation into the conduct on its campus and is cooperating with law enforcement to ensure employee safety. Microsoft reiterated that such actions are unacceptable and contradict its values and policies.

No Azure for Apartheid identified two of the terminated employees as Anna Hattle and Riki Fameli.

During a press conference, Smith announced that Microsoft had launched a formal investigation into the reported use of Azure by Israel. He emphasized the company's commitment to upholding its human rights principles and contractual terms of service in the Middle East.

Protests against Microsoft, related to the Israeli military's use of its technology, have been ongoing for months. Last week, police arrested 18 people during a similar protest at the Redmond headquarters.

The conflict between Israel and Hamas began in retaliation for the Hamas-orchestrated terrorist attack on October 7, 2023. The war has resulted in the deaths of over 60,000 people in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry. The attack on Israel resulted in the deaths of 1,200 people and the taking of 251 hostages.