Mon May 19 21:10:00 UTC 2025: **Summary:**
A Microsoft engineer, Joe Lopez, disrupted CEO Satya Nadella’s keynote speech at the Build conference to protest Microsoft’s Azure cloud platform’s role in enabling Israeli surveillance of Palestinians. Lopez, who worked on Azure firmware, was quickly escorted out. He later sent an all-staff email outlining his concerns, echoing the sentiments of the “No Azure for Apartheid” (Noaa) movement, which has been protesting Microsoft’s contracts with the Israeli military. Noaa alleges that Microsoft’s technology is facilitating the ongoing conflict and enabling human rights violations. This is not an isolated incident; similar protests have occurred within Microsoft and Google regarding their ties to the Israeli military, resulting in employee firings. Microsoft maintains that an internal investigation found no evidence of its technology being used to harm people.
**News Article:**
**Microsoft Engineer Disrupts Keynote, Protesting Azure’s Role in Israeli Surveillance**
*Seattle, WA* – Microsoft’s annual Build developer conference was interrupted on Monday when a company engineer, Joe Lopez, confronted CEO Satya Nadella during his keynote speech. Lopez, a firmware engineer who worked on the Azure cloud platform, protested Microsoft’s alleged complicity in enabling Israeli surveillance of Palestinians through its technology.
“Satya, how about you show how Microsoft is killing Palestinians? How about you show how Israeli war crimes are powered by Azure?” Lopez shouted before being escorted out by security.
In an email sent to all Microsoft staff, Lopez explained his actions, demanding that the company cease providing technological support to Israel. He warned of boycotts and reputational damage if Microsoft leadership continues to ignore the issue.
Lopez’s protest aligns with the efforts of the “No Azure for Apartheid” (Noaa) movement, a worker-led group that has been protesting Microsoft’s contracts with the Israeli military. The group claims that Microsoft’s Azure cloud software has been used for Israeli surveillance of Palestinians and by the Israeli air force’s Ofek Unit, responsible for managing target databases for airstrikes.
This incident marks the second high-profile protest within Microsoft in recent months. In April, two employees disrupted an AI event, leading to their subsequent termination. The status of Lopez’s employment remains unclear. Google has faced similar internal dissent and firings over its ties to the Israeli military.
Microsoft has responded to previous allegations by stating that a third-party investigation found “no evidence” of its technology being used to harm people. However, activists dispute this conclusion, pointing to leaked documents that suggest a significant Microsoft presence within Israeli military infrastructure.
“Leadership rejects our claims that Azure technology is being used to target or harm civilians in Gaza,” Lopez wrote in his email. “Those of us who have been paying attention know that this is a bold-faced lie. We don’t need an internal audit to know that a top Azure customer is committing crimes against humanity.”
The protest occurred just days after Palestinians commemorated the Nakba, marking 77 years since the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians in 1948. The incident highlights the growing pressure on tech companies to address ethical concerns surrounding the use of their technologies in conflict zones.
First Piper 