Evercore ISI senior managing director Mark Mahaney analyzes Amazon and discusses Google’s potential breakup at Varney & Co.
Amazon this week removed a controversial video showing an executive wearing a Palestinian flag necklace on top of Israel.
Vice President of Global Specialists and Partner Organizations for Amazon Web Services Ruba Borno was featured in a video promoting the company’s upcoming AWS re:Invent conference. Even though it was not emphasized, some viewers noticed of the chain and threatened to cancel their Amazon subscriptions in response.
After a few days of silence, Amazon removed the video.
Ruba Borno, vice president of Amazon Web Services, wore a Palestinian chain in a promotional video. (X screenshot)
SELLERS ON AMAZON TRADING PRO-PALESTINIAN ‘RIVER TO THE SEA’ MERCHANDISE SOME DEEMED ANTISEMITIC
In a statement to Fox Business, an Amazon spokesperson confirmed that the video has been removed and will be replaced.
“The violence and loss of life that occurs every day in the Middle East is tragic, and at Amazon our hearts and thoughts are with every person or community affected. Our leadership remains in regular contact with our teams in the region to offer our services. The video recording was not intended as a political statement, but we have removed the video and will post a new one in the coming days,” the statement said.
Borno is one Palestinian refugee whose family lived in Kuwait until Saddam Hussein’s invasion in 1990. She and her family moved to the US shortly afterwards with the help of the US Embassy. She was hired at Amazon Web Services in November 2021.
Amazon later removed the video after a backlash. (Photo illustration by Jaque Silva/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images/Getty Images)
According to her LinkedIn profileBorno also works as a Young Global Leader for the World Economic Forum, where she has worked since 2019.
The video came days after the one-year anniversary of the deadly Hamas terror attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, in which 101 people are still being held hostage. Among these people is Sasha Troufanov, one Amazon employee based in Israel.
Amazon has yet to acknowledge his kidnapping.
EMPLOYEES ASK AMAZON TO CONTRACT WITH ISRAELI DEFENSE AFTER CONFLICT WITH HAMAS: REPORT
Amazon has not acknowledged that any of its employees were taken hostage by Hamas. (Amazon site / Fox News)
However, Amazon CEO Andy Jassey acknowledged the attack at the time and said he was reaching out to area workers and their families.
“The attacks on civilians in Israel are shocking and painful to watch,” he wrote, adding that Amazon is assisting “however we can during this very difficult time.”
Fox Business’ Daniella Genovese contributed to this report.
GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE
