A Google intern who was killed by one of Israel's airstrikes sparked outrage among tech employees, including those working for Amazon.
They gathered in New York to pay tribute to Mai Ubeid; a young woman who was an intern for Google. What's sad about her death is that her entire family was also killed by the missile attack launched by the Israel Defense Forces.
A google signs is seen as members of the Alphabet Workers Union (CWA) hold a rally outside the Google office in response to recent layoffs, in New York on February 2, 2023. - Google's parent company Alphabet announced in January it will cut about 12,000 jobs globally.
Both former and current Google and Amazon employees decided to pay respect to Ubeid and her family, as well as take this chance to castigate their employers for supporting Israel.
Google Intern Killed by Israel Airstrike Sparks Outrage Among Tech Employees
According to The Guardian's latest report, Amazon and Google employees gathered in the small park flanked by the Google-owned Chelsea market building and the Hudson River.
They were joined by the Jewish Voice for Peace, Within Our Lifetime, and other Palestinian advocacy groups. One of their banners stated that the Israeli airstrike martyred Ubeid, who was a daughter, engineer, creator, and software engineer in a Google-backed internship.
Google software engineer Mohammad Khatami, one of the vigil organizers for Ubeid's death, said that Google supporting Israel is a "betrayal in the purest sense of the word."
"No email, no difficulty, no decision, not public statement and absolutely no shame," said Khatami.
"Shame on [Pichai] and shame on Google," he added.
They are condemning Google, Amazon, and other tech firms that provide aid to the Israeli government and military as part of the initiative called "Project Nimbus."
Mohammad and other protesters said that Ubeid's death is another reminder that their employers are providing tools to Israel, which they claim is a country that imposes "apartheid" on Palestinian civilians.
For those wondering why Google and other tech firms support Israel, CNN Business explained that this Middle Eastern country is considered the world's startup nation.
This is why instead of backing away and pulling their investments in Israeli startups, they are being more supportive as the Israel-Hamas war continues.
Read Also: Israel: 2 Palestinians Open Fire on Jerusalem Bus Stop, Killing 3
Who is Mai Ubeid
A missile explodes in Gaza City during an Israeli air strike on October 8, 2023. srael, reeling from the deadliest attack on its territory in half a century, formally declared war on Hamas Sunday as the conflict's death toll surged close to 1,000 after the Palestinian militant group launched a massive surprise assault from Gaza.
Mai Ubeid was a Palestinian who graduated from a Google-funded coding boot camp called the Gaza Sky Geeks. After that, she became an intern at a Google For Startups accelerator program-backed firm in 2020.
She was considered one of the Palestinians who made a massive milestone despite living in the Gaza Strip.
People who knew Ubeid said that this girl was a shining example that even Gazans can have great accomplishments in the tech industry if they are given access and resources.
Unfortunately, she became one of the innocent victims of the worsening Israel-Hamas war. As of writing, Google hasn't commented on the death of Mai.
Google spokesperson Courtenay Mencini only said that Ubeid's death is a highly sensitive topic in every company that personally affects many employees.
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