Why I Am So Glad I Don’t Live in Gaza? Why Israel Shouldn’t Join the Campaign to Cut ties with Genocide

In the past 1.5 years Israel has killed over 300,000 people in Gaza and has resumed its full-scale genocide at this time. Just days ago, it was revealed that Israel killed fifteen paramedics and rescue workers in Gaza, executing them “one by one,” before burying them in the sand — yet another horrific war crime. Our responsible works powers the murder and surveillance. The United Nations and the International Court of Justice have concluded that this is a genocide, with the International Criminal Court issuing arrest warrants for Israeli leaders.

When I started with Artificial Intelligence platform, I was excited to contribute to cutting-edgeai technology and its applications for the good of humanity: accessibility products, translation services, and tools. I was not informed that Microsoft would sell my work to the Israeli military and government, with the purpose of spying on and murdering journalists, doctors, aid workers, and entire civilian families. If I knew my work on transcription scenarios would help spy on and transcribe phone calls to better target Palestinians (source), I would not have joined this organization and contributed to genocide. I did not sign up to write code that violates human rights.

“The Israeli military uses Microsoft Azure to compile information gathered through mass surveillance, which it transcribes and translates, including phone calls, texts and audio messages, according to an Israeli intelligence officer who works with the systems. That data can then be cross-checked with Israel’s in-house targeting systems.”

Microsoft was officially designated as a priority boycott target of the boycott campaign due to it’s close ties to the Israeli military.

Is this a legacy we want to leave behind, regardless of political stance? Is there something you can tell your children about? We might want to be on the wrong side of history.

Your work allows a company to take on a contract even though your work isn’t related to the military’s use of the cloud. Regardless of your team, you serve a company that is arming the Israeli occupation. No matter how small your compensation is going to be paid by genocide.

This is why I decided to speak up today, and why I signed this important petition to demand Microsoft cut ties with genocide. And I urge you all to do the same.

We won’t write code that kills. And join the campaign to add your voice to the growing number of concerned Microsoft employees.

In this thread, please join me as I show our discontent. If you also feel tricked into deploying weapons which target children and civilians, urge leadership (CC’ed) to drop these contracts.

Microsoft forbids retaliation against anyone who raises a human rights-related concern.

If you watched the livestream or watched in person, you will know that I disrupted the speech of Microsoft artificial intelligence CEO, Mustafa Suleyman. Here is why.

Like most, I joined Microsoft believing in its mission to “empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more.” I believed that it respected and promoted human rights. I believed that Microsoft was dedicated to philanthropy and promoting fundamental rights around the world.

Many people don’t want to leave Microsoft. If you must continue to work at Microsoft, I urge you to use your position, power, and privilege to hold Microsoft accountable to its own values and mission: