Microsoft claims that layoffs have followed serious violations of the company’s policies in the midst of the affirmations according to which its software is used by the Israeli army in Gaza.
Posted on August 29, 2025
Microsoft dismissed four employees who participated in demonstrations on the company’s premises against the company’s ties with Israel, including two who participated in a sit-in this week in the office of the president of the company.
Anna Hattle and Riki Fameli have received vocal messages informing them that they were dismissed, said protest group No Azure for apartheid in a statement on Wednesday.
He added Thursday that two other workers, Nisreen Jaradat and Julius Shan, were also dismissed.
They were one of the demonstrators who had recently set up camps at Microsoft’s head office to protest against the support of the company for Israel while he was warning his war against Gaza.
Microsoft said the layoffs have followed serious violations of business policies. In his statement on Thursday, he said that recent on -site demonstrations “created significant security problems”.
No Azure for apartheid, whose name refers to Microsoft Azure software, demanded that the company reduced its links with Israel and remuneration to the Palestinians.
“We are here because Microsoft continues to provide Israel with the tools he needs to commit a genocide while enlightening and in trouble the idea of his own workers on this reality,” said Hattle in a press release.
Hattle and Fameli were among the seven demonstrators who were arrested on Tuesday after occupying the office of the president of the Brad Smith company. The other five were former Microsoft workers and people outside the company.
Smith said that Microsoft respected “the freedom of expression that everyone in this country has enjoyed as long as legally”.
Complaints on the Azure application of Microsoft
A joint media survey published this month revealed that an Israeli military surveillance agency used Microsoft’s Azure software to store a large volume of mobile call recordings made by Palestinians living in the West Bank and Gaza occupied by Israeli.
The investigation, conducted by the Guardian, the +972 magazine and the local Hebrew call, said that Israel was based on Microsoft Cloud for vast surveillance of the Palestinians.
In response, Microsoft said that he was turning to La Cabinet d’Avocats Covington & Burling LLP to perform an exam.
Other Microsoft workers have also protested against business links with Israel.
In April, the remarks of the CEO of Microsoft AI, Mustafa Suleyman, were interrupted by an employee who protested against the bonds of the company with Israel during the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the technological company. This Protestant employee and other employee were also dismissed.
Companies and educational establishments have faced demonstrations against links with Israel while Gaza’s humanitarian crisis in the military assault of Israel has mounted, and images of hungry Palestinians, including children, caused global indignation.
Israel killed tens of thousands of Palestinians, caused a famine and forced the displacement of almost the whole population of Gaza since its launch of its war in October 2023.