Microsoft terminated two employees who organized an unauthorized vigil at the company’s headquarters to honor Palestinians killed in Gaza amid the conflict with Hamas, according to a report by the Associated Press on Saturday. Both employees were from Egypt, and one had previously been criticized by the watchdog group Stop Antisemitism. The group even called on Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella to take action against him for his public views on Israel. The dismissed Microsoft employees, Abdo Mohamed and Hossam Nasr, were part of a coalition of workers known as “No Azure for Apartheid.” The group had criticized Microsoft’s decision to sell its cloud-computing technology to the Israeli government. According to Mohamed and Nasr, the event held at the Microsoft office on Thursday was not meant to challenge company policy and was akin to other Microsoft-approved employee charity initiatives for those in need, as reported by AP. “Many members of the Microsoft community have experienced loss of family, friends, or loved ones,” Mohamed, a researcher and data scientist, told AP. “However, Microsoft has not provided an environment for us to come together to express our grief and honor the memories of those who can no longer advocate for themselves,” he added. Following the incident, the company announced on Friday that some employees were let go in accordance with Microsoft’s internal policies, though no further details were provided, according to AP. Microsoft stated that it had “ended the employment of some individuals following internal policy,” as referenced by AP. In its statement on the firings, Microsoft emphasized its commitment to maintaining a professional and respectful workplace. We cannot share specific details because of privacy and confidentiality concerns. Emphasizing the vigil’s purpose, Nasr informed AP that the event aimed to pay tribute to the victims of the conflict in Gaza and to draw attention to Microsoft’s involvement in the genocide. Nasr stated that the organization Stop Antisemitism revealed his dismissal on social media over an hour before he was informed by Microsoft. The group did not respond right away on Friday to a request for comments regarding how they found out about the firing. The American technology company faced backlash from many of its employees for providing technology to the Israeli government during the Gaza conflict. Consequently, Microsoft dismissed over fifty employees earlier in 2024 for participating in protests against the company.
