Microsoft engineer's resignation letter to thousands of employees goes viral, says he "can't work in a company..."

A Microsoft software engineer, Scott Sutfin-Glowski, who worked in the tech company for 13 years, resigned Thursday in protest against the company's ongoing cloud services contracts with the Israeli military. In a mass email to thousands of colleagues, he wrote, "I can no longer accept enabling what may be the worst atrocities of our time," choosing to leave rather than risk termination for dissent.

Sutfin-Glowski’s resignation comes amid months of internal conflict at Microsoft over its ties to Israel’s military. The company has already fired five employees for Gaza-related demonstrations, including four who occupied President Brad Smith's office in August.

Microsoft’s limited response to employee concerns

In September, under internal and external pressure, Microsoft stopped providing some services to Israel Defense Forces’ Unit 8200 after a Guardian report alleged the intelligence unit used Microsoft’s Azure platform to track "a million calls an hour" from Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank. The company’s action followed a warning from Microsoft President Brad Smith to employees.

Defending the firings in August, Smith said, "Anybody who is smart enough to get a job at Microsoft is smart enough to know that you don't get to storm in and break into buildings and occupy other people's offices and keep your job at Microsoft."

Employee protests continue
On Thursday, new demonstrations took place at Microsoft’s Redmond headquarters. The No Azure for Apartheid group displayed banners reading "WE CALL BULLSHIT. CUT ALL TIES WITH ISRAEL NOW" and "Microsoft Build KILLS," featuring images of warplanes and missiles with the Azure cloud logo.

Over 1,500 Microsoft employees have signed petitions calling for the company to endorse a ceasefire. Among those previously fired was Riki Fameli, an Azure Storage engineer who told Business Insider that "proper channels are dead ends" for employee concerns about company policies.

Critics say service cuts are insufficient
Smith confirmed Microsoft blocked cloud storage and AI services to Unit 8200 after investigating Guardian’s report. An Israeli security official told CNN the move caused "no damage to the operational capabilities of the IDF." Intelligence sources reported Unit 8200 moved its surveillance data from Microsoft’s Dutch servers to Amazon Web Services shortly after the investigation.

Activists said Microsoft’s actions affected only one unit while most of its military contracts remain active. The No Azure for Apartheid group called September’s decision "a significant and unprecedented win" but pledged to continue until all demands are met. Microsoft has not commented on Sutfin-Glowski’s resignation.