Microsoft’s 50th anniversary celebrations in Washington on March 4 were interrupted by pro-Palestinian protesters, including two employees who have resigned since, calling for the alleged participation of the technological giant in Israeli military operations.

Among them was Vaniya Aberwal, a software engineer at the AI ​​Division of Microsoft, who seized the stage at a dramatic dissent event. Accusing the company of having enabled Violence in Gaza, publicly resigned during the event, labeling Microsoft a “digital weapons maker” before being escorted outside the room.

Agrawal denounced the alleged agreement of Microsoft’s $ 133 million with the Israeli Ministry of Defense, claiming that AI and Azure Cloud Services of the company actively supported military operations against the Palestinians.

“Microsoft Cloud and AI allow the Israeli military to be more lethal and destructive in Gaza,” he wrote in an email to the whole company shortly after CEO on stage. “It is undeniable that Microsoft Azure Cloud’s AI offers and developments to form the technological spine of the Automated Apartheid and Genocide systems in Israel.”

He also cited reports that link Microsoft technologies to Israel’s War Surveillance and War Infrastructure, adding: “Our promotion this genocide.”

Agrawal, who joined Microsoft in September 2023 after more than three years in Amazon, had been working on his artificial intelligence division. His protest marked the last point of view in a growing wave of dissent among the employees. In February, five staff members were removed from a meeting with CEO Satya Nadella after disturbing similar concerns.

Microsoft has not yet publicly responded to the accusations or Agrawal’s resignation. The celebration of the anniversary, which had focused on the advances of the company in AI and Productivity, saw that his narrative changed abruptly to the protest. Following the elimination of Agrawal, Bill Gates resumed the program without addressing the incident.