US tech giant Microsoft has reportedly blocked internal and external emails containing the words “Palestine,” “Gaza,” and “genocide,” effectively silencing employees who seek to speak out against the Israeli occupation’s atrocities in Gaza.

The revelations, first reported by The Verge, expose an internal filter that is actively suppressing pro-Palestinian discourse within the company. Dozens of Microsoft employees say they have been unable to send messages referencing the Israeli genocide in Gaza — an act many now view as part of a broader campaign to muzzle dissent and protect the company’s controversial relationship with the Israeli regime.

The censorship has been brought to light by the No Azure for Apartheid (NOAA) campaign — a collective of conscientious Microsoft workers opposing the company’s involvement in the Israeli military’s ongoing war crimes. NOAA organizer Hossam Nasr condemned the move as “a discriminatory crackdown on free expression,” describing it as a targeted effort to marginalize Palestinian employees and their allies.

“This is not just about words,” said Nasr. “This is about Microsoft choosing to side with an apartheid regime by silencing any voices that call attention to its crimes. Palestinian suffering is being erased with the stroke of a corporate filter.”

Microsoft attempted to justify the policy by claiming it was aimed at limiting “politically focused emails.” However, the company failed to explain why only Palestine-related terms were blocked, while other political topics remained uncensored — further fueling accusations of bias and complicity in the occupation’s propaganda war.

The censorship policy was allegedly introduced shortly after a courageous protest at Microsoft’s Build 2025 conference, where activists interrupted CEO Satya Nadella to condemn the company’s collaboration with the Israeli military. Microsoft has supplied Israel with cloud computing and AI tools used in the genocidal war on Gaza, where over 53,700 Palestinians — primarily women and children — have been massacred by Israeli forces, and more than 122,000 wounded since October 2023.

Palestinian rights advocates have long criticized Big Tech’s double standards, with social media platforms routinely suppressing pro-Palestinian content. Microsoft’s email censorship adds to growing concerns that US-based tech giants are enabling apartheid and war crimes by silencing voices of resistance and truth.

“The silencing of Palestine is a stain on Microsoft’s legacy,” said a NOAA statement. “If this corporation continues to side with genocide, then its workers, partners, and users must rise and demand accountability. The truth about Palestine cannot be filtered out.” (ILKHA)