Amazon has dismissed Ahmed Shahrour, a Palestinian software engineer in its Whole Foods division in Seattle, following a five-week suspension for posting protest messages about the company’s $1.2 billion Project Nimbus cloud computing contract with the Israeli government and military.[1][2][3][4]
Termination Notice
An internal human resources email informed Shahrour: “In the next 24 hours you will receive an email with detailed information about your termination, including information about your benefits and final pay. We appreciate the contributions you’ve made during your time with Amazon and wish you the best in your future endeavors.”[2][3]
Shahrour’s last day was October 13, 2025, according to HR records obtained by Bloomberg.[5]
Policy Violations
Amazon’s investigation found that Shahrour breached:
- Standards of Conduct Policy
- Written Communication Policy
- Acceptable Use Policy
He posted “numerous non-work-related messages pertaining to the Israel-Palestine conflict” on internal Slack channels, misusing company resources for non-business discussions.[6][7][2]
Company Statement
Spokesperson Brad Glasser told CNBC: “We do not tolerate discrimination, harassment or threatening behavior or language of any kind in our workplace. When such conduct is reported, we investigate and take appropriate action based on our findings.”[8][2]
Engineer’s Perspective
Shahrour issued a statement calling his firing “an act of retaliation designed to silence dissent from Palestinian voices within Amazon.” He urged the company to end its contract supplying AI tools, data centers, and infrastructure to the Israeli government.[7][2]
Industry Responses to Project Nimbus Protests
Several technology companies have disciplined employees protesting Project Nimbus and related Israel ties:
| Company | Date | Action | Number Affected | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 2024 | Terminated employees after sit-in protests | 28 | [9][10] | |
| Microsoft | August 2025 | Fired engineers over office demonstrations | 2 | [6] |
| Amazon | October 2025 | Fired engineer for internal protest posts | 1 | [2][5] |
Contract Background
Project Nimbus is a joint cloud initiative between Amazon Web Services and Google Cloud, valued at $1.2 billion, to provide AI-enabled services, data storage, and infrastructure to the Israeli government and defense forces. The deal has drawn protests over concerns it may support military operations in Gaza.[11][12][1]
Broader Implications
Balancing open employee dialogue with professional conduct policies remains a challenge. Critics argue that restrictive communication rules risk suppressing legitimate workplace concerns. Companies must clarify protest-related guidelines and offer transparent channels for raising ethical issues.
