"How Dare You": Indian-Origin Techie Calls Out Microsoft Over Israel Ties

A Microsoft employee, who has now quit the company, lashed out at CEO Satya Nadella and former CEOs Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer over the tech giant's support of Israel's war on Gaza. Vaniya Agrawal, an Indian-American software engineer, slammed the tech titans during Microsoft's 50th anniversary celebrations.

Ms Agrawal confronted Mr Nadella, Mr Gates and Mr Ballmer saying, "Fifty thousand Palestinians in Gaza have been murdered with Microsoft technology. How dare you. Shame on all of you for celebrating on their blood."

Calling Microsoft a "digital weapons manufacturer," she accused the company of enabling violence through its technology. She urged the company to cut ties with Israel before another woman escorted her out of the hall.

The executives didn't respond to the protest and resumed their panel discussion after Ms Agarwal was forced out.

Ms Agrawal lambasted Microsoft for allegedly signing a $133 million deal with Israel's Ministry of Defense and using its AI and Azure technologies in military actions against Palestinians. She called for protests from colleagues over the company's alleged involvement in human rights violations before announcing her resignation.

In her resignation, she wrote, "I cannot, in good conscience, be part of a company that participates in this violent injustice." She added, "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."

Before Ms Agrawal, another employee (who has now resigned), Ibtihal Aboussad, disrupted a presentation by the company's AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman and accused him of being a "war profiteer."

He said, "Microsoft technologies are being used to commit acts of genocide." Mr Suleyman responded, "Thank you for your protest. I hear you."

Even in the past, Microsoft employees have slammed the company for its ties with Israel, which has once again unleashed violence in Gaza after the ceasefire agreement with Hamas collapsed. In February, five Microsoft employees were ejected from a meeting with Mr Nadella for protesting the contracts.

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