He also alleged that another engineer was recently warned for sharing articles about doctors volunteering in Gaza. (Representative Image)
Photo : iStock
Amazon has suspended a Palestinian software engineer, Ahmed Shahrour, after he openly criticized the company’s business dealings with Israel, particularly its role in the controversial Project Nimbus cloud computing contract. The move has ignited fresh debate about free speech within Big Tech firms and their handling of Israel-Palestine-related dissent.
Suspension Over Internal Letter to CEO Andy Jassy
According to a CNBC report, Shahrour, who works for Amazon’s Whole Foods division in Seattle, was placed on paid suspension after posting on internal Slack channels and sending a direct letter to CEO Andy Jassy and other executives.
The letter, described as “threatening” in internal communications, reportedly said Shahrour was “left with no choice but to…” while voicing his disapproval of Amazon’s role in Project Nimbus, a $1.2 billion cloud contract jointly signed by Amazon, Google, and the Israeli government in 2021.
In his message, Shahrour wrote that he lived in “constant dissonance” while building technology for a company he believes enables Israeli actions in Gaza.
Allegations of Targeting Pro-Palestinian Voices
Shahrour claims that Amazon has systematically suppressed pro-Palestinian employee voices, citing examples where content critical of Israel was deleted while anti-Palestinian posts remained untouched.
He also alleged that another engineer was recently warned for sharing articles about doctors volunteering in Gaza, and a French employee was terminated after social media criticism of Israel.
An Amazon spokesperson, Brad Glasser, declined to comment on Shahrour’s specific case but stated:
“Amazon does not tolerate discrimination, harassment, or threatening behavior or language of any kind.”
The company has revoked Shahrour’s access to email and internal tools while the investigation continues.
Big Tech Under Fire: Similar Protests at Google, Microsoft
Shahrour’s suspension comes against the backdrop of mounting employee unrest across Silicon Valley:
- Microsoft fired four employees in August 2025, including two who staged a sit-in at President Brad Smith’s office, as part of the “No Azure for Apartheid” campaign.
- Google terminated 28 employees in April 2024 following coordinated protests against Project Nimbus.
- Both companies have since tightened security at offices and corporate events.
The controversy underscores how Project Nimbus has become a flashpoint in the Israel-Palestine debate within Big Tech, with employees caught between company policies and personal convictions.
While Amazon insists the matter is under investigation, critics argue the suspension signals a crackdown on pro-Palestinian expression at the workplace. With scrutiny on how global tech giants navigate geopolitics, the case is expected to spark further employee activism — and intensify questions around Big Tech’s neutrality.