A software engineer publicly criticized Amazon for its business dealings with the government of Israel and was then placed on suspension, throwing the debate over the role that tech giants play in global conflicts right back into the limelight. This comes amid growing tensions inside America’s technology industry regarding deals similar to Project Nimbus—a large cloud computing contract between Israel and a U.S. company revealed on September 8, 2025. In addition to posting messages in internal Slack channels, Ahmed Shahrour—who is Palestinian and based in Seattle—also sent a letter to top executives. He was subsequently put on paid leave while an investigation is carried out, manifesting increasing employee activism against U.S. tech firms involved in the Israeli-Gaza conflict. Below are details about Shahrour’s protest, Amazon’s response, and what it all means for workers and corporate ethics going forward.
What Led to the Suspension?
Shahrour’s Protest Actions
Ahmed Shahrour has worked at Amazon for three years in its Whole Foods division. On Monday morning, he posted critical messages across multiple internal Slack channels. He also sent a detailed letter to Amazon executives—among them Andy Jassy, CEO—calling on the company to end Project Nimbus: a $1.2 billion joint cloud contract with Google launched in 2021.
In the letter, Shahrour described his daily struggle: “Every day I write code at Whole Foods, I remember my brothers and sisters in Gaza being starved by Israel’s man-made blockade.” He added, “I live in a state of constant dissonance: maintaining the tools that make this company profit, while my people are burned and starved with the help of that very profit. I am left with no choice but to resist directly.”
Project Nimbus delivers artificial intelligence applications, data centers, and cloud infrastructure to the Israeli government for its multiple operations. It is a contact that has elicited a lot of criticism from activists who believe it has assisted Israel militarily in Gaza on missions that have raised widespread humanitarian concerns.
Shahrour’s letter was first revealed by independent journalist Kali Hays. In his letter, he pressed Amazon to pull out of the deal with strong words describing it as a moral imperative due to his Palestinian heritage.
Amazon Responded Right Away
Just hours after the posts, an Amazon HR rep shot over a message to Shahrour: ‘It has come to Amazon’s attention that a post you made in multiple internal company Slack channels may violate multiple policies.’ The company put him on paid leave ‘until further notice’ and yanked his email, tools, and Slack access. Amazon also took down his posts but did not specify which policies were violated.
Spokesperson’s Statement
Amazon spokesperson Brad Glasser told CNBC, “We do not tolerate discrimination or harassment of any kind in our workplace. We do not tolerate threatening behavior or language of any kind in our workplace. When any conduct of that nature is reported, we investigate it and take appropriate action based on our findings.” The company declined to comment directly on Shahrour’s case, its work with Israel, or internal moderation policies for employee communications.
Shahrour accused Amazon of muzzling pro-Palestinian workers after the recent warning given to an engineer who shared an article about American doctors volunteering in Gaza. He also spoke of the firing of a French worker because of anti-Israel social media postings and deleting messages about Gaza in the “Arabs at Amazon” Slack channel–while messages in other channels denigrating Palestinians were left untouched.
Shahrour told CNBC, “It feels like I can’t voice anything, and if I do, I’m going to get a warning.” The French employee’s dismissal was confirmed by a source familiar with the matter.
Broader Context in Tech Industry Activism
Rising Employee Protests
At Amazon, at Google, at Microsoft, and at Palantir. Tech workers have become increasingly vocal against contracts with the Israeli military ever since the war on Gaza increased in 2023.
On account of the 28 sit-in demonstrations that took place in April 2024 against Project Nimbus and working conditions, Google responded by firing 28 employees. Just last month, Microsoft let go of two workers who had organized a sit-in at its headquarters as a protest against military contracts.
Protective Measures and Corporate Reactions
Technology companies have raised security levels at gatherings because of increases in protests. Amazon has not spoken about Nimbus publicly except to say it serves customers “wherever they are located.”
Google claims that its work with Israel does not pertain to “highly sensitive, classified or military workloads.” Microsoft noted that much of its Israel Defense Forces work pertains to ethical cybersecurity.
An Internal Issue Just Like It
Earlier this year at Microsoft, workers raised flags about Outlook blocking emails carrying words such as “Palestine,” “Gaza,” “genocide,” and “apartheid”—while messages with the word “Israel” got through.
A Microsoft spokesperson said the filters aimed to curb unwanted mass emails. These incidents reflect a pattern of tech companies navigating employee dissent amid geopolitical tensions.
Implications for Workers and Corporate Policy
Impact on Shahrour and Colleagues
As a paid suspension, Shahrour retains his salary but faces uncertainty. He worries his outspokenness could end his career at Amazon, a company known for strict conduct rules.
Groups like No Tech for Apartheid, which organized similar protests, applauded Shahrour’s courage. “This is what standing up to complicity in genocide looks like.”
Tech Ethics Challenges
The suspension just underscores the risks that workers have when challenging managerial decisions on sensitive matters. Labor experts say it could chill free speech in a sector that thrives on innovation and diverse talent.
With 1.5 million workers, the way Amazon deals with such matters shows how Big Tech firms choose between their business interests and worker rights.
Push from Activists and Investors
Worker protests have won some steps, like Google’s promise in 2024 to steer clear of some AI uses in arms. Yet critics say firms still put profits before ethics, as seen in deals like Nimbus. Investor groups have sued for clarity on these deals, citing the risk to the firm’s good name amid boycotts and protests worldwide.
Why This Matters Now
Timing Amid Ongoing Conflict
This is the third year of the war in Gaza, civilian casualties mount renewed calls for divestment, and heightened scrutiny over U.S. tech involvement. This is when Shahrour chooses to make his protest. It also puts a lens on Palestinian and other voices within tech who are vastly underrepresented but can face significant personal and professional ramifications for speaking out.
Potential for Escalation
If Amazon clears Shahrour, more protests may be emboldened. If he is fired, expect backlash.
Unions and regulators are keeping a close eye, pressing for more explicit guidelines about political speech at work.
Lessons For Corporate America
This case asks how firms handle dissent in an age of polarization. The vague way Amazon applied its rules raises questions of fairness and bias in moderation. As activism rises, firms may soon face pressure to show how they source contracts ethically to keep talent and public trust.
This is the moment that will be described as the flashpoint in global politics forcing the tech industry to reckon with its place in it all. The individual pain Ahmed Shahrour felt, and many others like him, has since been suspended by Amazon for protesting Project Nimbus amid the Israel-Gaza crisis. It is currently being investigated but becomes a lesson on how incredibly high the stakes are for anyone going up against the corporate goliaths. As debates work their way across boardrooms and conference halls throughout America arguing what role Big Tech should play in war, let’s not forget: real humans sit behind those lines of code. Does Amazon come to the table or double down? That will tell us about its values-and future.
