A Microsoft firmware engineer, Joe Lopez, interrupted CEO Satya Nadella’s keynote at the Build developer conference on May 19, 2025, shouting about Palestinian civilian deaths and questioning if Israeli war crimes are “powered by Azure”. This public protest against Microsoft’s cloud and AI contracts with the Israeli government was followed by an email from Lopez to thousands of colleagues. In it, Lopez condemned Microsoft’s recent internal review on its technology’s use in Gaza, stating it was a “bold-faced lie. Every byte of data that is stored on the cloud (much of it likely containing data obtained by illegal mass surveillance) can and will be used as justification to level cities and exterminate Palestinians.”
The dramatic on-stage confrontation in Seattle also involved a fired Google employee known for similar activism. This incident brings employee activism, previously seen at Microsoft’s 50th-anniversary event, to a major company showcase. It directly challenges Microsoft’s official stance, issued on May 16 in an official statement, that it found no evidence its technology harms civilians in Gaza – a report activists quickly decried as a “PR stunt”. The core issue is the mounting pressure on tech giants over potential complicity in human rights violations and the increasing willingness of their employees to publicly demand accountability.
Lopez, an Azure hardware systems team member, stated in his email that he “can no longer stand by in silence as Microsoft continues to facilitate Israel’s ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian people.” He specifically criticized Microsoft’s admission of allowing Israel’s Ministry of Defense (IMOD) “special access to our technologies beyond the terms of our commercial agreements,” and directly questioned its implications: “Do you really believe that this “special access” was allowed only once? What sort “special access” do they really need? And what are they doing with it?” Microsoft has not yet publicly commented on the Build protest itself.
Employee Activism Intensifies
The Build conference disruption appears organized by the “No Azure for Apartheid” group, which shared posts of the protests on social media. This collective of current and former Microsoft employees has been vocal. Their website urges Microsoft to live up to its ethical values by “ending its direct and indirect complicity in Israeli apartheid and genocide.” Anna Hattle, a Microsoft worker and organizer with the group, reportedly wrote to company leadership on May 15, stating that Israeli forces “are carrying out this genocide at a much greater scale thanks to Microsoft cloud and AI technology.”
Microsoft’s May 16 report asserted that internal and external reviews found “no evidence to date that Microsoft’s Azure and AI technologies have been used to target or harm people in the conflict in Gaza.” However, the company also acknowledged “significant limitations” in verifying technology use outside its direct cloud services, conceding that its reviews, by definition, do not cover these situations.
This admission fueled criticism. Hossam Nasr, a “No Azure for Apartheid” organizer and former Microsoft employee, told GeekWire the report was both “filled with both lies and contradictions.” and a “PR stunt to whitewash their image that has been tarnished by their relationship with the Israeli military.”
He further highlighted the apparent contradiction by pointing out: “In one breath, they claim that their technology is not being used to harm people in Gaza,” while also admitting “they don’t have insight into how their technologies are being used” on Israeli military servers.”
The group demands full public disclosure of Microsoft’s ties to Israel and an independent audit. Following Microsoft’s May 16 statement, No Azure for Apartheid declared, “If any Microsoft executive thinks this statement will make us go away, you could not be more mistaken.” The group had announced plans for a protest coinciding with Build ahead of the event, stating in a press advisory that Microsoft is selling technology that fuels “mass state surveillance, and occupation in Palestine”.
Pattern of Protests and Company Response
Prior incidents underscore the growing unrest. At Microsoft’s 50th-anniversary event in April 2025, former software engineer Ibtihal Aboussad confronted AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman directly: “AI weapons to the Israeli military. 50,000 people have died, and Microsoft [is facilitating] this genocide in our region.” Another engineer, Vaniya Agrawal, confronted executives, exclaiming, “hypocrites… how dare you all celebrate on their blood?” Both were laid off subsequently, with Microsoft citing “willful misconduct, disobedience, or willful neglect of duty” for Aboussad.
These dismissals followed those of Hossam Nasr and Abdo Mohamed after an October 2024 vigil for Palestinian victims. Nasr had described the internal Microsoft climate to The Guardian as “very close to a tipping point.”
Employee concerns have been heightened by media reports, such as one from AP News, alleging the use of AI systems like “Lavender” for targeting in Gaza and claims that Microsoft Azure has enabled Israeli surveillance. Employees have also reported internal censorship attempts. Microsoft, responding to earlier disruptions, stated it provides many avenues for voices to be heard but asked that this be done in a way that does not cause a business disruption. The BDS movement designated Microsoft a “priority boycott target” in April 2025.
Broader Tech Industry Scrutiny
The ethical questions and employee activism at Microsoft are not isolated. Parallels exist at Google, where leaked documents revealed the company knew it would have “very limited visibility” over Israel’s use of its Project Nimbus AI and cloud technology but proceeded with the $1.2 billion contract it shares with Amazon.
This occurred despite internal warnings of potential human rights violations. The presence of a fired Google protester at the Microsoft Build event highlights the interconnected nature of these “No Tech For Apartheid” movements across the tech sector. Meanwhile, outside the Seattle Convention Center on May 19, dozens of pro-Palestinian demonstrators rallied, leading to clashes with police and at least one arrest, as ChannelNews reported.
