Amazon Fires Palestinian Engineer After Protests Against Israel Contract
Amazon has terminated a Palestinian software engineer who was suspended last month after voicing opposition to the company’s work with the Israeli government.
Ahmed Shahrour, who worked in Amazon’s Whole Foods division in Seattle, received notice of his dismissal on Monday. His suspension in September was linked to messages he posted on the company’s internal Slack platform, where he criticized Amazon’s multibillion-dollar contract with Israel.
According to the company, an internal review concluded that Shahrour violated workplace conduct policies, including guidelines on communication and use of company resources. Amazon alleged that he had used company platforms to share “numerous non-work-related messages” related to the Israel-Palestine conflict.
Shahrour, however, claims his dismissal is retaliation for speaking out. In a statement, he said the firing was meant to “silence Palestinian voices within Amazon” and shield the company’s ties to Israel from internal criticism. Supporters of Shahrour argued he was targeted for protesting Amazon’s role in Project Nimbus, a $1.2 billion contract through which Amazon and Google provide cloud infrastructure and artificial intelligence services to the Israeli government and military.
During his suspension, Shahrour participated in protests and distributed flyers outside Amazon’s headquarters in Seattle, urging the company to cancel the deal.
An Amazon spokesperson said the company takes action against workplace conduct violations, stating: “We do not tolerate discrimination, harassment, or threatening behavior of any kind, and we investigate thoroughly when concerns are raised.”
The case comes as tensions around corporate involvement in Israel’s military operations continue to stir debate across the tech industry. Microsoft, Google, and Amazon have all faced internal protests from employees over their contracts with Israel. Google previously fired 28 workers who protested Project Nimbus, while Microsoft has also dismissed employees involved in anti-war demonstrations.
The controversy follows the devastating war that began after Hamas attacked southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing more than 1,200 people and taking hostages. Israel’s military response has since resulted in tens of thousands of Palestinian deaths, according to Gaza health authorities.
Shahrour’s firing highlights growing friction between Big Tech companies and employees pushing back against government contracts tied to the Israel-Palestine conflict.
