Amazon Terminates Palestinian Software Engineer Over Political Dispute
Amazon has officially terminated the employment of Ahmed Shahrour, a Palestinian software engineer working within its Whole Foods division. His dismissal follows a month-long suspension triggered by his outspoken criticism regarding the company’s affiliation with Israel.
According to CNBC, he received a notification on Monday that detailed his final pay and benefits, marking the conclusion of his tenure at Amazon.
The controversy erupted in September when Shahrour publicly condemned Amazon’s $1.2 billion contract with the Israeli government, known as Project Nimbus.
This initiative, which also involves Google, supplies the Israeli government and military with artificial intelligence capabilities, cloud infrastructure, and data services. Shahrour voiced his concerns through internal company channels and by distributing flyers at Amazon’s Seattle headquarters.
Amazon justified its actions by asserting that Shahrour breached the company’s standards for conduct, misuse of resources, and communication protocols, claiming he shared numerous non-work-related messages concerning the Israel-Palestine conflict on corporate platforms.
A company representative emphasized that Amazon “does not tolerate discrimination, harassment, or intimidating behavior or language of any type,” as reported.
Supporters of Shahrour, including an employee coalition, argue that the termination is a deliberate retaliatory measure aimed at suppressing dissent, particularly from Palestinian voices that challenge corporate complicity in the ongoing Gaza conflict.
Shahrour himself described the decision as an attempt to stifle internal scrutiny regarding Amazon’s controversial dealings.
The timing of his termination coincided with the release of seven Israeli hostages by Hamas, part of a ceasefire agreement facilitated by U.S. President Donald Trump, coupled with Israel’s plan to release nearly 2,000 Palestinian detainees.
Widespread unrest has emerged within Big Tech regarding their collaborations with the Israeli military. Companies like Microsoft and Google have also faced resignations and dismissals linked to similar protests.
All three corporations maintain that their engagements with Israel comply with broadly applicable ethical guidelines and predominantly involve commercial technology rather than direct military assistance.
Source link: Moneycontrol.com.
