Microsoft employee bypasses ‘Palestine’ block to email thousands of staff in protest

Yesterday, Microsoft selected to totally and fully discriminate towards a whole nation, a whole folks, and a complete group by blocking all staff from sending any outbound e mail containing the phrases “Palestine”, “Gaza”, “genocide”, or “apartheid”. Microsoft leaders justified this blatant censorship by saying it was to forestall you from receiving emails like the e-mail that you’re studying proper now. Regardless that Microsoft SLT are conscious that this “quick time period resolution” is definitely bypassable, as this e mail clearly proves, Microsoft nonetheless doubled down, insisted on not rolling again the coverage, and determined to proceed concentrating on and repressing their Palestinian, Arab, Muslim, and allied employees. They refused to revoke this censorship tactic, regardless of its potential illegality, dozens of staff expressing how racist of a choice it was, and even leaders admitting they see how it may be perceived as discriminatory and focused. This additional proves how little Microsoft values Palestinian lives and Palestinian struggling.

As a Palestinian employee, I’m fed up with the way in which our folks have been handled by this firm. I’m sending this e mail as a message to Microsoft leaders: the price of attempting to silence all voices that dare to humanize Palestinians is much increased than merely listening to the issues of your staff. Had this ineffective and discriminatory coverage been revoked, as I attempted to request quite a few instances by way of so-called “correct channels”[1][2], I might not be sending you all this e mail.

Regardless of claiming to have “heard issues from our staff and the general public relating to Microsoft applied sciences utilized by the Israeli army to focus on civilians or trigger hurt within the battle in Gaza” in a press release riddled with lies, admissions, and absurd justifications, Microsoft has proven that they’re totally tired of listening to what we have now to say.

Microsoft claims that they “present many avenues for all voices to be heard”. Nonetheless, every time we attempt to focus on something substantial about divesting from genocide within the “authorized channels”, employees are retaliated towards, doxxed, or silenced. Microsoft has deleted related worker questions in AMAs with executives and shut down Viva Interact posts in devoted channels for asking SLT questions. Managers have warned outspoken directs to remain quiet and have even overtly retaliated towards them. When my group tries to flag points and issues to HR/GER/WIT, we have now been met with racist outcomes with double requirements. All through all this, Microsoft has despatched a transparent message to their staff: There aren’t any correct channels at Microsoft to specific your issues, disagreements, and even questions on how Microsoft is utilizing your labor to kill Palestinian infants.

Over this previous week, Microsoft has proven their true face, brutalizing, detaining, firing, pepper spraying, threatening and insulting employees and former employees protesting at Microsoft Construct. This e mail censorship is just the most recent instance in an extended record of current excessive and outrageous escalations by Microsoft towards my group. Sufficient is sufficient.

It has grow to be clear that Microsoft is not going to hearken to us out of the goodness of their hearts.

Microsoft is not going to change their stance simply because it’s the ethical and even authorized factor to do. Microsoft will solely divest from genocide as soon as it turns into costlier for them to kill Palestinians than not. Proper now, Microsoft makes some huge cash from genocide-profiteering, so we should make assist for genocide much more costly.

The scenario in Palestine is extra pressing by the minute. Increasingly more Palestinians are being killed of hunger below the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF)‘s bombing marketing campaign, invasion, and siege that has martyred an estimated 400,000 Palestinians. The IOF have kidnapped over 16,000 Palestinians and positioned them in torture and rape camps. 1.93 million Palestinians in Gaza have been displaced, and over 40,000 Palestinians have been displaced within the West Financial institution.

Whereas a hostile work setting is tough, it can’t evaluate to the horrors happening in Palestine – horrors that we as Microsoft staff are complicit in. These futile makes an attempt to silence our group, whereas painful at instances, are proof that the strain we’re making use of is working. This isn’t the time for child steps or gradual progress. Ravenous infants can’t wait any longer. We, as an organization of over 200,000 staff, are offering the technological spine for Israel’s genocidal conflict machine in Palestinian. We, as staff of this firm, have a duty to finish our employer’s complicity on this AI-assisted genocide! Now could be the time to escalate towards Microsoft and finish this Microsoft-powered genocide!

I’m calling on each worker of conscience to:

Signal No Azure for Apartheid’s petition calling for a termination of all Microsoft contracts with the Israeli army and authorities: https://noaa.cc/petition

Strongly think about whether or not you wish to keep within the firm and battle for change from inside, or if you wish to depart and cease contributing labor to genocide.

For those who select to go away Microsoft to not be complicit in genocide, don’t go quietly. The No Azure for Apartheid marketing campaign is prepared that can assist you make an impression in your manner out for Palestine, and we may also do our greatest to offer you assist earlier than leaving. Attain out to us expressing your curiosity to go away right here.

For those who select to remain, proceed to battle from the within to finish Microsoft’s, and your individual, complicity in conflict crimes, be a part of the No Azure for Apartheid marketing campaign. If you’re nervous about being public along with your affiliation, relaxation assured that as a worker-led grassroots motion, we have now members with all ranges of anonymity and threat stage. A few of our members are publicly seen and can even publicly confront our war-criminal executives, reminiscent of Satya Nadella, Mustafa Suleyman, and Jay Parikh at main Microsoft occasions just like the fiftieth Anniversary celebration and Microsoft Construct. Different members select to remain fully nameless and nonetheless contribute to the important work of the marketing campaign. There’s room for everybody: https://noaa.cc/join

Whereas I do perceive that as Microsoft staff, we can’t absolutely boycott Microsoft, most of us can concentrate on the precedence targets set by the Boycott, Divest, and Sanction (BDS) motion, which just lately set Microsoft as a precedence goal. The principle goal of the boycott is Microsoft Gaming, particularly X-Field. We will additionally encourage our family and friends to boycott Microsoft the place attainable.

To Microsoft Senior Management group particularly:You can’t silence Palestine.You can’t silence Gaza.You can’t conceal your involvement in genocide and apartheid.

Fre e PalestineNisreen Jaradat