Microsoft has fired four employees who took part in protests on company property to oppose its ties to Israel as the Gaza war rages on. Two of the employees participated in a sit-in this week at the office of the company's president, Brad Smith.
Anna Hattle and Riki Fameli received voicemails informing them that they were fired, protest group No Azure for Apartheid said in a statement on Wednesday.
It added on Thursday that two more staff, Nisreen Jaradat and Julius Shan, were fired. They were among protesters who had recently set up encampments at Microsoft's headquarters in Redmond, Washington.
The company said the action was taken owing to serious breaches of company policies. In a statement on Thursday, it said recent on-site demonstrations had "created significant safety concerns".
No Azure for Apartheid, whose name refers to Microsoft's Azure software, has demanded that the company cut ties to Israel and pay reparations to Palestinians.
"We are here because Microsoft continues to provide Israel with the tools it needs to commit genocide while gaslighting and misdirecting its own workers about this reality," Ms Hattle said in a statement.
Ms Hattle and Mr Fameli were among seven protesters arrested on Tuesday after occupying Mr Smith's office. The others were former Microsoft staff and people outside the company.
Mr Smith has said Microsoft respects "freedom of expression that everyone in this country enjoys as long as they do it lawfully".
A joint media investigation published this month found that an Israeli military surveillance agency was using Microsoft's Azure software to store recordings of mobile phone calls made by Palestinians living in the occupied West Bank and Gaza.
The investigation, conducted by The Guardian, Israeli-Palestinian publication +972 Magazine and Hebrew-language outlet Local Call, said Israel relied on Microsoft cloud for the expansive surveillance of Palestinians. In response, Microsoft said it was turning to law firm Covington & Burling to conduct a review.
Other Microsoft workers have also protested against the company's ties to Israel. In April, a speech by AI chief executive Mustafa Suleyman was interrupted by an employee during a celebration to mark the 50th anniversary of the company's ties with Israel. That employee and another protesting staff member were dismissed.
Companies and educational institutions have faced protests over ties with Israel as the humanitarian crisis in Gaza worsens. Images of starving Palestinians, including children, have sparked outrage around the world.
