Microsoft’s 50th anniversary celebrations in Washington on March 4 were disrupted by pro-Palestinian protesters, including two employees (who have resigned now), who called out the tech giant’s alleged involvement in Israeli military operations.
“Shame on all of you” – Employee confronts Gates, Ballmer, and Nadella
Indian-American software engineer Vaniya Agrawal confronted former and current Microsoft CEOs Bill Gates, Steve Ballmer, and Satya Nadella during a panel.
“50,000 Palestinians in Gaza have been murdered with Microsoft technology. How dare you. Shame on all of you for celebrating on their blood,” Agrawal shouted.
She condemned Microsoft’s reported $133 million cloud and AI contract with Israel’s Ministry of Defense and accused the company of enabling genocide in Gaza.
Resignation letter circulates internally
Shortly after the protest, Agrawal sent a company-wide email announcing her resignation, effective April 11. In the email, accessed by The Verge, tech news website, she said, “I cannot, in good conscience, be part of a company that participates in this violent injustice.”
She referenced reports that Microsoft Azure and AI technologies support Israel’s military operations and surveillance, adding that “our labor powers this genocide.”
Calling Microsoft a “digital weapons manufacturer,” Agrawal accused the company of violating its own human rights commitments. “Microsoft leadership must divest from Israel and stop selling lethal technology to power apartheid and genocide,” she wrote.
Employee’s final words: “Free Palestine”
Agrawal closed her resignation letter with a call to action, encouraging colleagues to use their positions to challenge Microsoft’s policies: “If you must continue to work at Microsoft, I urge you to use your position, power, and privilege to hold Microsoft accountable to its own values and mission.”
She ended her note simply: “Farewell and Free Palestine.”
The first disruption came during a presentation by Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman, who was discussing the company’s AI assistant, Copilot. Ibtihal Aboussad, a Microsoft employee, stood up and accused Suleyman of being a “war profiteer.”
“Microsoft technologies are being used to commit acts of genocide,” Aboussad declared, according to footage and eyewitnesses. Suleyman responded, “Thank you for your protest, I hear you,” before Aboussad was escorted out of the venue.
he later claimed to have lost access to her work account following the protest, as per Reuters report.
Microsoft does not comment on employees resignations
Microsoft has not publicly responded to the employee resignations or the accusations raised during the anniversary event.
While the company showcased its advancements in AI and productivity tools during the celebration, the protests forced a sharp shift in tone.
Background: Escalating conflict and humanitarian crisis
The latest phase of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict began in October 2023 after a deadly Hamas-led attack on Israel that killed 1,200 people and led to over 250 hostages being taken. Israel’s military response has since killed more than 50,000 Palestinians, according to Gazan health authorities.
The war has internally displaced nearly all of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents and created a deepening humanitarian crisis. Israel denies accusations of genocide and war crimes, saying its actions target Hamas militants.