Microsoft has reportedly terminated two software engineers following disruptions they caused at an event marking the company’s Copilot initiative and its 50th anniversary. The engineers, identified as Ibtihal Aboussad and Vaniya Agrawal, openly protested Microsoft’s alleged business activities with the Israeli military during the keynote and an executive panel.
According to reports citing internal communications from the company, Microsoft stated that Aboussad could have raised grievances privately through management channels or through Global Employee Relations. Instead, Microsoft explained, Aboussad chose to disrupt a keynote speech delivered by Microsoft’s AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman.
During the event’s keynote, Aboussad publicly accused Suleyman of having “blood on his hands,” interrupting him as he was speaking about Microsoft’s latest AI offerings. Later, during a high-profile panel featuring CEO Satya Nadella, former CEO Steve Ballmer, and founder Bill Gates, Agrawal interjected by shouting, “Shame on all of you… Cut ties with Israel.”
After these incidents, Aboussad reportedly followed up by emailing company executives and employees, accusing Microsoft of suppressing dissenting opinions and reportedly included a link to a petition organized by “No Azure for Apartheid,” a group of activist employees criticizing Microsoft’s dealings with the Israeli government.
Microsoft’s handling of employee activism and protests related to ethical issues has garnered increased attention, reflecting growing tension within the broader tech industry over corporate relationships with controversial government entities.
