One year after protest, organizers say Microsoft still needs to cut ties with Israeli military

REDMOND, Wash. — One year after Microsoft workers, former employees, and community activists set up an encampment at Microsoft headquarters in Redmond, organizers say the big tech company still needs to cut ties to the Israeli military.

Protesters claim Microsoft technology was used for mass surveillance during the War in Gaza.

After last August’s encampment on Microsoft’s east campus, there were protests via kayaks in front of waterfront homes of Microsoft executives and a sit-in protest at the office of Brad Smith, Microsoft’s current President.

“For us to stand up and say what is right and speak truth to power, that is the least that we can do,” said Hossam Nasr, organizer for No Azure for Apartheid.

Nasr is a former software engineer for Microsoft and says he was arrested at two of the protests last August.

A month after the sit-in at Smith’s office, Microsoft did cut some cloud services to an Israeli military unit.

“It’s validation that direct action works, that…