New York, April 9 (RHC)-- Microsoft has fired two workers who protested the company’s ties to Israel’s assault on Gaza at its 50th anniversary celebration.   Microsoft supplies the Israeli military with AI and cloud technology. 

Software engineer Ibtihal Aboussad, who organizes with the Microsoft employee-led campaign No Azure for Apartheid, confronting Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman.

Mustafa Suleyman: “So, the question I wanted to address today is really simple: What does all this mean?”

Ibtihal Aboussad: “Mustafa, shame on you! You say you — you claim that you care about using AI for good, but Microsoft sells AI weapons to the Israeli military. Fifty thousand people have died, and Microsoft powers this genocide in our region, Mustafa.”

Mustafa Suleyman: “Thank you for your protest. I hear you.”

Ibtihal Aboussad: “Your Syrian family know about this Mustafa. You are a war profiteer.”

Mustafa Suleyman: “I hear your protest. Thank you.”

Ibtihal Aboussad: “Shame on you! You are a war profiteer!”

Mustafa Suleyman: “I hear you. Thank you.”

Ibtihal Aboussad: “Stop using AI for genocide, Mustafa!”

Last week, the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions National Committee announced Microsoft is a “priority target,” and called on consumers to boycott its gaming subscriptions and products like Xbox.

In more tech news, an Al Jazeera investigation finds Facebook hosted over 100 paid advertisements promoting illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank.  In the ads approved by Meta were calls for the demolition of Palestinian homes, schools and playgrounds, and fundraising appeals for the Israeli military.