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Google employee resigns after ‘retaliation’ for protesting Israeli contract

timesofisrael.com

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Re: Google employee resigns after ‘retaliation’ for protesting Israeli contract

#41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yup, I can see no sign of retaliation: "she would be transferred to Sao Paolo, Brazil". I mean, who isn't ready to upend their lives, leave all their friends and family to move into a poorer country on another continent for the sake of their employer? There is only one name for that: "huge opportunity", thank you lots Google for not being evil.

Did it say she has to physically relocate, or can she work remote and just visit there 2-3 times a year?

What would hurt most the employee? That is the choice when you are bullying someone.

Re: Google employee resigns after ‘retaliation’ for protesting Israeli contract

#44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Boycotting Israel gets your company in trouble with various state governments in the US, like no supplying services to the government, and in Arkansas, it gets even more viral in that people you supply services to are forbidden from supplying services to the government. My RH contract specifically forbade boycotting Israel, I'm sure for those reasons. And of course, I imagine that Israel has laws about doing business…

I grew up in an Evangelical church and I attend a Protestant church now (although not American) and the only place I've ever heard people claim that my fellow congregants believe that about Israel is online from people outside the church. I'm sure you'll be able to find _someone_ who believes it, but it is so weird to see people claiming something as a fact about your church that you've never encountered in nearly 40…

Whilst I've definitely got the impression, that _most_ people think of it as a shared heritage, I have now and then had a few people quoting the same prophecy from Zechariah as their reasoning.

> And it shall happen in that day that I will make Jerusalem a very heavy stone for all peoples; all who would heave it away will surely be cut in pieces, though all nations of the earth are gathered against it - Zechariah 12:3

The (mis-)interpretation being that for the return of God to occur, the existence of Jerusalem is a pre-requisite. It can't disappear, again. So for that to happen, we should protect Israel, who will protect the city. We should especially protect them because the world will gather against them.

The logic has some major flaws to it, and can be easily worked around, but I've heard it a few times.

Re: Google employee resigns after ‘retaliation’ for protesting Israeli contract

#45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Boycotting Israel gets your company in trouble with various state governments in the US, like no supplying services to the government, and in Arkansas, it gets even more viral in that people you supply services to are forbidden from supplying services to the government. My RH contract specifically forbade boycotting Israel, I'm sure for those reasons. And of course, I imagine that Israel has laws about doing business…

I grew up in an Evangelical church and I attend a Protestant church now (although not American) and the only place I've ever heard people claim that my fellow congregants believe that about Israel is online from people outside the church. I'm sure you'll be able to find _someone_ who believes it, but it is so weird to see people claiming something as a fact about your church that you've never encountered in nearly 40…

It's much more likely it just wasn't something you encountered in your practice and not that reliable sources analyzing American political and financial support for Israel all happen to make up the part Evangelical Americans play. A quick search for e.g lobbying for Israel in the United States brings up credible sources.

Re: Google employee resigns after ‘retaliation’ for protesting Israeli contract

#46

I applaud her for her courage. Israel has seemingly been given leeway to do as they please when it comes to Palestianian freedom of movement. And Google's none the better with their AI drone programme. I mean Palestinians have it hard to put it lightly. Israel is an Apartheid State that's enacting a harsh Apartheid system against these people: * Illegal Settlers living in Palestine can vote in Israel but not Palestin…

> anti-Zionism is conflated with anti-semitism

One reason people say that is perceptions of double standards. They see China get an easier time on their treatment of Uyghurs.

Another reason people say that is because anti-Zionism is demonstrably correlated with anti-semitism. They see photos of someone at an anti-Israel rally giving the roman salute. They see people attacking Jews at random on the street whenever Israel does something shitty. They see a photo of a neo-Nazi group holding up the Palestinian flag in solidarity. They see anti-semitic tropes being shared in online forums that focus on criticism on Zionism and Israel.

A third reason is that anti-"Zionism" is a broad tent with a lot of different opinions, some of which Jewish Israelis view as genocidal in outcome if not in intent.

Of course, that doesn't mean criticism of Israel is automatically anti-semitic. That would be ridiculous, and there isn't really many people who actually say that in earnest.

Re: Google employee resigns after ‘retaliation’ for protesting Israeli contract

#47
post #6

“In her statement, Koren also singled out “Jewglers,” a forum for Jewish Google employees, for not accommodating Jews who hold anti-Zionist views.” Zionism is the belief that Israel has the right to exist, and that Jews have the right to live in Israel. If you are against this, your views are quite extremist and it is hard to find understanding and accommodation, particularly among fellow Jews.

> If you are against this, your views are [...]

You do not get to tell other people what their views are. In the first place, questioning what has in practice meant "buy some tanks and go oppress the natives" is not something spoken of positively for literally any other country doing it. But when it is Israel, pointing out that humans have (and should have) rights somehow means that you hate all Jews. Ridiculous. Rather it is the reverse: Understanding Jews and their historical circumstances should give you a renewed respect for human rights and how important they are.

Re: Google employee resigns after ‘retaliation’ for protesting Israeli contract

#48

Just read the NLRB dismissal letter of her complaint [0]. The NLRB found that Google decided to offer her a relocation from Mexico to Brazil before she started her BDS crusade against Google. By the way, discrimination on the basis of national origin is against Google policy and against federal and CA state law. These laws protect Israelis just like anyone else. [0] https://www.nlrb.gov/case/20-CA-286745

I don't understand how you came to the conclusion that Israelis are being attacked in this instance.

Re: Google employee resigns after ‘retaliation’ for protesting Israeli contract

#49
post #8

> “Due to retaliation, a hostile environment, and illegal actions by the company, I cannot continue to work at Google and have no choice but to leave the company at the end of this week,” Ariel Koren said in a statement posted Tuesday to Medium. Many people is missing the point. "Retaliation" is illegal. > Google denied retaliation and the National Labor Relations Board found no wrongdoing after an investigation In m…

Is "activism" against the employer protected under anti-retaliation laws? I thought these laws protected employees for things like reporting workplace discrimination, harassment, being a witness in such an investigation, etc. Can you indulge in activism against your employer and claim that you need to be protected from retaliation if they fire you?

Re: Google employee resigns after ‘retaliation’ for protesting Israeli contract

#50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Boycotting Israel gets your company in trouble with various state governments in the US, like no supplying services to the government, and in Arkansas, it gets even more viral in that people you supply services to are forbidden from supplying services to the government. My RH contract specifically forbade boycotting Israel, I'm sure for those reasons. And of course, I imagine that Israel has laws about doing business…

I grew up in an Evangelical church and I attend a Protestant church now (although not American) and the only place I've ever heard people claim that my fellow congregants believe that about Israel is online from people outside the church. I'm sure you'll be able to find _someone_ who believes it, but it is so weird to see people claiming something as a fact about your church that you've never encountered in nearly 40…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fo77sTGpngQ

If you seek to 6 min 5 seconds, the narrator describes an Evangelical pastor by the name of Urban Baxter whose End Time ministry leads a tour to Israel twice a year. The pastor then explains to his tour group / congregation the significance of Armageddon in relation to the current location of the tour group, Megiddo.

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