Microsoft bars employees from using words ‘Palestine,’ ‘Gaza’ in emails

Microsoft has barred its employees from using the words “Palestine,” “Gaza” or “genocide” in its internal email system as the tech giant looks to crack down on unrest within its ranks following protests of the company’s ties to Israel.

The company has quietly implemented a filter on its internal Exchange email system that blocks messages containing the politically charged words without notifying the sender or recipient, according to a report by Dropsite News.

Microsoft has been roiled in recent months by demonstrations staged by a group of employees sympathetic to the Palestinians.

The activist group known as “No Azure for Apartheid” has been demanding that management sever ties with the Israeli government and military.

Microsoft Azure is Microsoft’s cloud computing platform and infrastructure, offering a wide range of services including computing power, storage, databases, networking, artificial intelligence, and analytics.

An investigation by several news outlets revealed that Azure platform was utilized by various branches of the Israeli military — not only for administrative purposes but also for combat and intelligence activities.

Leaked documents indicated that Microsoft entered into deals worth approximately $10 million to provide thousands of hours of technical support during the Gaza conflict.

Microsoft employees who count themselves as members of “No Azure for Apartheid” told Dropsite News that they first noticed the filters on Wednesday — just days after they staged a protest which disrupted the company’s annual Build developer conference.

According to the group, terms such as “Israel” or altered spellings like “P4lestine” are not flagged, raising concerns that the company is selectively silencing one side of the debate.

The Post has sought comment from Microsoft.

Despite the backlash, Microsoft has stood by its partnerships with Israel.

“We engage with governments around the world to provide secure, reliable cloud services,” a senior official told Dropsite News on background.

“These engagements are subject to legal, ethical, and security reviews to ensure they align with our principles.”

Just ahead of the Build event, Microsoft released an internal report stating that it found “no evidence that Microsoft’s Azure and AI technologies, or any of our other software, have been used to harm people.”

The report was seen as an attempt to calm tensions amid heightened scrutiny and growing employee dissent.

The Israel-Hamas war began on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel, killing approximately 1,195 people, including 815 civilians, and taking 251 hostages.

In response, Israel initiated a large-scale military campaign in Gaza, involving extensive airstrikes and a ground invasion aimed at dismantling Hamas.

As of May 2025, over 52,000 Palestinians have been killed, more than half of them women and children, and over 110,000 have been injured, leading to a severe humanitarian crisis in the region.