Microsoft has reportedly terminated two software engineers who disrupted its high-profile Copilot and 50th anniversary event last week to protest the company’s alleged ties to the Israeli military.
The employees — Ibtihal Aboussad and Vaniya Agrawal — were dismissed on Monday following separate interruptions during the event, CNBC reported. Aboussad interrupted Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman’s keynote speech, shouting that he had “blood on his hands.” Later the same day, Agrawal shouted “shame on all of you” during a panel discussion featuring CEO Satya Nadella, former CEO Steve Ballmer, and company co-founder Bill Gates.
In an internal memo, Microsoft told Aboussad that she could have raised her concerns “confidentially with your manager, or with Global Employee Relations,” but instead “chose to intentionally disrupt” the event.
The incident follows rising tensions within tech companies over military contracts and global conflicts, with some employees calling for greater transparency and ethical oversight.
Shortly after the protest, Aboussad reportedly sent an email to Microsoft staff and executives, accusing the company of silencing dissent. The message also included a link to a petition by “No Azure for Apartheid,” an internal group of employees critical of Microsoft’s alleged involvement with Israeli defense projects.
Microsoft has not issued a public statement regarding the terminations.
