A sign is shown on a Google building at their campus in Mountain View, Calif. , on Sept. 24, 2019. AP Photo
A sign is shown on a Google building at their campus in Mountain View, Calif. , on Sept. 24, 2019. AP Photo
A sign is shown on a Google building at their campus in Mountain View, Calif. , on Sept. 24, 2019. AP Photo
A sign is shown on a Google building at their campus in Mountain View, Calif. , on Sept. 24, 2019. AP Photo

Google employee quits after speaking out against company over deal with Israel's military


Nada AlTaher
  • English
  • Arabic

An employee has accused Google of "retaliation", after she protested against a billion-dollar deal the company made with the Israeli military.

Describing herself as a "Jewish Google employee", Ariel Koren says she worked at the company for seven years but has now quit, after what she claims were "illegal actions" taken by the company that forced her to leave.

"Instead of listening to employees who want Google to live up to its ethical principles, Google is aggressively pursuing military contracts and stripping away the voices of its employees through a pattern of silencing and retaliation towards me and many others," Ms Koren wrote in a blog post.

"I have consistently witnessed that instead of supporting diverse employees looking to make Google a more ethical company, Google systematically silences Palestinian, Jewish, Arab and Muslim voices concerned about Google's complicity in violations of Palestinian human rights — to the point of formally retaliating against workers and creating an environment of fear."

Ms Koren encouraged the public to learn more about the $1.2 billion dollar Project Nimbus and take action by protesting outside Google offices in the US on September 8.

She said a group for Jewish employees at Google was "systematically functioning as an outlet to drive forward right-wing ideologies under the guise of promoting diversity", instead of merely acting as a support system for Jewish people.

Google has not yet made a public statement on Ms Koren's claims.

  • Riyad Mansour, Palestinian permanent observer to the UN, addresses a Security Council meeting in New York. Reuters
    Riyad Mansour, Palestinian permanent observer to the UN, addresses a Security Council meeting in New York. Reuters
  • Palestinians search through the rubble of a building in which Khaled Mansour, a top Islamic Jihad militant, was killed in an Israeli air strike on Sunday, in Rafah, the southern Gaza Strip. AP
    Palestinians search through the rubble of a building in which Khaled Mansour, a top Islamic Jihad militant, was killed in an Israeli air strike on Sunday, in Rafah, the southern Gaza Strip. AP
  • Mohammad Arada removes a tricycle from the rubble of his home after it was destroyed by an Israeli air strike, in the Rafah refugee camp. AP
    Mohammad Arada removes a tricycle from the rubble of his home after it was destroyed by an Israeli air strike, in the Rafah refugee camp. AP
  • Women mourn during the funeral of four teenage Palestinian cousins in Jabaliya, in the northern Gaza Strip. Reuters
    Women mourn during the funeral of four teenage Palestinian cousins in Jabaliya, in the northern Gaza Strip. Reuters
  • People march during a rally in support of Gaza Strip residents at the Grand Central Terminal in New York. EPA
    People march during a rally in support of Gaza Strip residents at the Grand Central Terminal in New York. EPA
  • Palestinians celebrate on a street in Gaza city after a ceasefire was announced. Reuters
    Palestinians celebrate on a street in Gaza city after a ceasefire was announced. Reuters
  • Palestinians burn tyres near the Huwwara checkpoint, south of the West Bank city of Nablus, during a protest against Israel's air strikes in Gaza. EPA
    Palestinians burn tyres near the Huwwara checkpoint, south of the West Bank city of Nablus, during a protest against Israel's air strikes in Gaza. EPA
  • Children cry during the funeral of Tamim Hijazi in Khan Yunis, a city in the southern Gaza Strip. The Gaza resident was killed in an Israeli air strike. AP
    Children cry during the funeral of Tamim Hijazi in Khan Yunis, a city in the southern Gaza Strip. The Gaza resident was killed in an Israeli air strike. AP
  • Smoke billows from a building struck during an Israeli air strike in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip. Israel bombarded Islamic Jihad positions in the Gaza Strip for a third day, with 31 Palestinians killed. AFP
    Smoke billows from a building struck during an Israeli air strike in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip. Israel bombarded Islamic Jihad positions in the Gaza Strip for a third day, with 31 Palestinians killed. AFP
  • Palestinians inspect a destroyed house after an Israeli air strike on Rafah in the Gaza Strip. EPA
    Palestinians inspect a destroyed house after an Israeli air strike on Rafah in the Gaza Strip. EPA
  • A Palestinian rocket is fired from Gaza City toward Israel as Israel bombarded Islamic Jihad positions in the Gaza Strip for a third day. AFP
    A Palestinian rocket is fired from Gaza City toward Israel as Israel bombarded Islamic Jihad positions in the Gaza Strip for a third day. AFP
  • The Palestinian Civil Defence evacuate a wounded man following an explosion in Jebaliya refugee camp, northern Gaza Strip. AP
    The Palestinian Civil Defence evacuate a wounded man following an explosion in Jebaliya refugee camp, northern Gaza Strip. AP
  • A Palestinian man in the rubble of his badly damaged home, which was struck by Israeli missiles in Gaza City. AFP
    A Palestinian man in the rubble of his badly damaged home, which was struck by Israeli missiles in Gaza City. AFP
  • A Palestinian woman and her daughter survey the damage to their home, caused by the Israeli air strikes, in the northern Gaza Strip. Reuters
    A Palestinian woman and her daughter survey the damage to their home, caused by the Israeli air strikes, in the northern Gaza Strip. Reuters
  • Palestinians search the rubble of a building in which Khaled Mansour, a chief Islamic Jihad militant, was killed in an Israeli air strike on Rafah, southern Gaza Strip. AP
    Palestinians search the rubble of a building in which Khaled Mansour, a chief Islamic Jihad militant, was killed in an Israeli air strike on Rafah, southern Gaza Strip. AP
  • An Israeli Iron Dome air defence system launches a missile to intercept rockets fired from the Gaza Strip, on the outskirts of the southern Israeli city of Ashkelon. AFP
    An Israeli Iron Dome air defence system launches a missile to intercept rockets fired from the Gaza Strip, on the outskirts of the southern Israeli city of Ashkelon. AFP
  • The friend of a young Palestinian killed during the night in the Jabaliya refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip, is overcome at his funeral in the same camp. AFP
    The friend of a young Palestinian killed during the night in the Jabaliya refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip, is overcome at his funeral in the same camp. AFP
  • The body of Palestinian Muhammad Hassouna, who was killed in an Israeli air strike, is prepared for his funeral at a hospital in Rafah. AP
    The body of Palestinian Muhammad Hassouna, who was killed in an Israeli air strike, is prepared for his funeral at a hospital in Rafah. AP
  • An Israeli Air Force Apache helicopter fires flares in the sky above the Israel-Gaza border. Reuters
    An Israeli Air Force Apache helicopter fires flares in the sky above the Israel-Gaza border. Reuters
  • A Palestinian boy looks out of a car damaged amid Israel-Gaza fighting, in the northern Gaza Strip. Reuters
    A Palestinian boy looks out of a car damaged amid Israel-Gaza fighting, in the northern Gaza Strip. Reuters
  • Israeli police keep watch while Jews visit the Al Aqsa compound in Jerusalem on Sunday. Reuters
    Israeli police keep watch while Jews visit the Al Aqsa compound in Jerusalem on Sunday. Reuters
  • Palestinians search a destroyed building in which leading Islamic Jihad militant Khaled Mansour was killed by an Israeli air strike in Rafah. AP
    Palestinians search a destroyed building in which leading Islamic Jihad militant Khaled Mansour was killed by an Israeli air strike in Rafah. AP
  • Israeli extreme-right politician Itamar Ben Gvir, centre, speaks to the media as he makes his way to the Al Aqsa complex in East Jerusalem. EPA
    Israeli extreme-right politician Itamar Ben Gvir, centre, speaks to the media as he makes his way to the Al Aqsa complex in East Jerusalem. EPA
  • Israelis rest in a bomb shelter after rocket attacks fired from the Gaza Strip, in Ashkelon, southern Israel. Palestinian officials say at least 32 people in Gaza have died in latest surge of violence. AP
    Israelis rest in a bomb shelter after rocket attacks fired from the Gaza Strip, in Ashkelon, southern Israel. Palestinian officials say at least 32 people in Gaza have died in latest surge of violence. AP
  • The Palestinian Islamic Jihad group fires rockets from Gaza City. Israel's military has said it 'neutralised' the group's leadership group in the enclave, where at least 32 people, including six children, have been killed in three days of Israeli strikes. EPA
    The Palestinian Islamic Jihad group fires rockets from Gaza City. Israel's military has said it 'neutralised' the group's leadership group in the enclave, where at least 32 people, including six children, have been killed in three days of Israeli strikes. EPA
  • Palestinian medics take an injured man to hospital. AFP
    Palestinian medics take an injured man to hospital. AFP
  • Palestinians carry an injured girl to hospital following an Israeli strike in the southern Gaza Strip. AFP
    Palestinians carry an injured girl to hospital following an Israeli strike in the southern Gaza Strip. AFP
  • Palestinians search for casualties in the rubble of a residential building in the southern Gaza Strip. AFP
    Palestinians search for casualties in the rubble of a residential building in the southern Gaza Strip. AFP
  • A salvo of rockets is fired from Gaza City towards Israel. AFP
    A salvo of rockets is fired from Gaza City towards Israel. AFP
  • Palestinians gather at a hospital in Jabaliya refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip. AFP
    Palestinians gather at a hospital in Jabaliya refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip. AFP

Last year, in an open letter published in The Guardian, Google and Amazon workers condemned their companies' involvement in Project Nimbus, which they described as "a $1.2bn contract to provide cloud services for the Israeli military and government".

"This technology allows for further surveillance of and unlawful data collection on Palestinians, and facilitates expansion of Israel’s illegal settlements on Palestinian land," the letter said.

But in March, a similar call was renewed on Twitter by an account reportedly representing Amazon and Google employees standing against Project Nimbus.

Ms Koren's announcement that she was leaving her job drew mixed reactions from people on Twitter, with some praising her for the move and others saying she should have been fired.

People gather for a pro-Palestinian demonstration near the Israeli consulate in New York City. EPA
People gather for a pro-Palestinian demonstration near the Israeli consulate in New York City. EPA

"You've loudly proclaimed 'no' to participating in furthering the injustice inflicted upon the Palestinians. Bravo and thank you!" said one user.

"Thank you for standing on the right side of history," a Palestinian by the name of Sejood Rantisi said.

But others were not so sympathetic of Ms Koren's public stance against Google.

"You were actively acting against your employer and now he send you out," said Dr Chris Bacon.

Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The specs

Engine: 4-litre twin-turbo V8

Transmission: nine-speed

Power: 542bhp

Torque: 700Nm

Price: Dh848,000

On sale: now

The specs: 2017 Dodge Ram 1500 Laramie Longhorn

Price, base / as tested: Dhxxx
Engine: 5.7L V8
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 395hp @ 5,600rpm
Torque: 556Nm @ 3,950rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.7L / 100km

Indoor cricket World Cup:
Insportz, Dubai, September 16-23

UAE fixtures:
Men

Saturday, September 16 – 1.45pm, v New Zealand
Sunday, September 17 – 10.30am, v Australia; 3.45pm, v South Africa
Monday, September 18 – 2pm, v England; 7.15pm, v India
Tuesday, September 19 – 12.15pm, v Singapore; 5.30pm, v Sri Lanka
Thursday, September 21 – 2pm v Malaysia
Friday, September 22 – 3.30pm, semi-final
Saturday, September 23 – 3pm, grand final

Women
Saturday, September 16 – 5.15pm, v Australia
Sunday, September 17 – 2pm, v South Africa; 7.15pm, v New Zealand
Monday, September 18 – 5.30pm, v England
Tuesday, September 19 – 10.30am, v New Zealand; 3.45pm, v South Africa
Thursday, September 21 – 12.15pm, v Australia
Friday, September 22 – 1.30pm, semi-final
Saturday, September 23 – 1pm, grand final

Updated: August 31, 2022, 3:22 PM