Google employee resigns, citing retaliation for pro-Palestinian activism

HOUSTON, Texas (AA) – A Google employee who became a high-profile opponent of the tech giant’s $1 billion artificial intelligence and surveillance contract with the Israeli military announced her resignation Tuesday.

Ariel Koren, a marketing manager with the company, cited what she said is its creation of a hostile work environment due to her social activism.

“I am leaving @Google this week due to retaliation & hostility against workers who speak out,” tweeted Koren. “Google moved my role overseas immediately after I opposed its $1B AI/surveillance contracts with Israel. And this is far from an isolated instance.”

The controversy began when Koren protested Google’s $1.2 billion collaboration with Amazon and the Israeli military on a program called Project Nimbus.

She spent more than a year organizing her protest to persuade Google to pull out of the deal, including circulating petitions, lobbying executives and speaking out to news organizations.

Instead of listening to her concerns, Koren said Google blindsided her in November 2021 with an ultimatum: either agree to move from San Francisco in the US state of California to Sao Paulo, Brazil, or lose your job.

Koren said there was no business justification for the mandated move and filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).

However, both Google and the NLRB investigated her complaint and found no wrongdoing, according to multiple media reports.

Koren, who is Jewish, has worked for the company for more than seven years and said Google’s actions to stifle outspoken workers — not just herself — has been par for the course.

Google has not issued a response to Koren’s claims.