Google has recently fired 28 employees who participated in protests against the company’s cooperation with the Israeli government. The protests were sparked by Project Nimbus, a deal between the Israeli government and Google and Amazon Web Services. Employees are concerned that the cloud infrastructure provided by Google may be assisting the Israeli military in selecting targets for airstrikes in Gaza.
The protests at Google reflect tensions within the workforce over the company’s involvement in the Gaza war. CEO Sundar Pichai has stated that Google is a business and not a platform for political discussions. However, this statement has been met with criticism from some employees who believe that corporate involvement in political conflicts raises important ethical questions.
Google’s cooperation with the Israeli government is not the first time the company’s collaborations with the military have sparked tensions with employees. In 2018, Google faced backlash for supporting the American military’s “Maven” project, leading to resignations and protests from employees. This time, Google’s top management seems willing to withstand the pressure from the workforce and has taken a harder stance against the protests.
The war in Gaza is also triggering internal tensions at other tech companies, such as Apple, Microsoft, and Meta. Employees at Apple have called on CEO Tim Cook to condemn the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza, while Microsoft and Meta have removed posts related to the Gaza war from internal chat forums. The issue of corporate involvement in political conflicts is raising questions about
