Indie Game Pulled from Xbox in Protest of Microsoft's Role in Gaza Genocide

Morocco World25-04-2025

Rabat — Indie game label Ice Water Games has pulled its project Tenderfoot Tactics from the Xbox store, citing support for the Palestinian-led Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, which added Microsoft's Xbox to its priority boycott list earlier in April.
'We hope that Microsoft will listen to the voices of their workers and customers and stop all business with the criminal Israeli military, which we have watched conduct an open genocide in Gaza over the last 18 months,' the label stated via social media.
On April 7, BDS designated Microsoft a priority target, calling it 'perhaps the most complicit tech company in Israel's illegal occupation, apartheid regime, and ongoing genocide against 2.3 million Palestinians in Gaza.'
The movement has accused Microsoft of deep integration with the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) and prison system — pointing to the company's Azure cloud and AI services, which are used by the IOF and are integral to the technological machinery driving Israel's genocidal campaign in Gaza.
'After 34 years of direct complicity with Israel's military, the Israeli army now relies heavily on Microsoft to meet the technological needs of its genocide and apartheid regime,' BDS declared in a statement.
Calling on global consumers to boycott Microsoft's gaming products, BDS laid out different levels of action — from canceling Xbox subscriptions, boycotting flagship titles such as Call of Duty, Minecraft, and Candy Crush, to boycotting all of the company's products.
Microsoft's addition to the BDS priority list came in the wake of the firing of Moroccan engineer Ibtihal Aboussad, who confronted company executives about its involvement in Israeli atrocities during a live presentation at Microsoft's Redmond headquarters.
'Mustafa, shame on you,' Aboussad told Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman. 'You claim to care about using AI for good, but Microsoft sells AI weapons to the Israeli military. Fifty thousand people have died, and Microsoft powers this genocide in our region.'
In February, the Associated Press released an investigation exposing how US tech firms have been aiding Israel in accelerating its kill-chain capabilities in Gaza and Lebanon. The findings revealed that Microsoft and OpenAI technologies have become increasingly embedded in Israel's indiscriminate killing of Palestinains since October 2023.
At least 50,000 Palestinians have been killed and over 113,000 injured since the start of Israel's genocide on Gaza almost 19 months ago. These numbers are conservative estimates based on health facility records, while thousands remain buried under rubble or have been obliterated beyond recognition by Israel's weapons.

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Algeria Faces Major Setback as Ghana Reaffirms Support for Morocco's Autonomy Plan

Morocco World

11 hours ago

Morocco World

Algeria Faces Major Setback as Ghana Reaffirms Support for Morocco's Autonomy Plan

Rabat — In another diplomatic setback for Algeria, Ghana has once again reaffirmed its support for Morocco's Autonomy Plan as the only viable solution to the Western Sahara dispute. This comes just months after Algeria claimed that Ghana had reversed its stance on the issue — a claim that has now been officially dismissed. In a joint statement signed in Rabat by Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita and his Ghanaian counterpart, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, last Friday, Ghana recognized 'the exclusivity of the Autonomy Plan presented by the Kingdom of Morocco in 2007 as the only realistic and sustainable basis for a mutually acceptable solution' to the regional dispute. This declaration reinforces Ghana's decision on January 7, 2025, to withdraw its recognition of the self-proclaimed 'SADR' (so-called Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic). The move aligns Ghana with the growing international consensus in support of Morocco's territorial integrity and sovereignty over its southern provinces. Ghana's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration confirmed that it had communicated this position to Morocco, the African Union, and the United Nations through official diplomatic channels. The ministry emphasized Ghana's backing for the 'good-faith efforts made by the Kingdom of Morocco to reach a solution accepted by all parties.' Ghana had originally recognized the Polisario-led 'SADR' in 1979 but has now decisively shifted its position in line with over 113 countries — more than 60% of UN member states — that support Morocco's Autonomy Plan as the most credible political framework to resolve the conflict. This reversal is part of a broader regional trend. Kenya, once considered a stronghold of pro-Polisario sentiment and a vocal ally of Algeria's stance on the Sahara, has also announced its support for Morocco's proposal. These developments signal a growing momentum in favor of Morocco's sovereignty , leaving Algeria's foreign policy increasingly isolated. Adding to Algeria's diplomatic frustrations, the United Kingdom — a permanent member of the UN Security Council — recently expressed its clear endorsement of Morocco's Autonomy Plan. The UK's support is more than symbolic; it adds significant international weight to Morocco's position. According to recent figures from Morocco's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, over 113 countries around the world support the moroccan autonomy plan. On the other hand, 46 countries, including 13 African nations, have cut or frozen their ties with the Polisario since 2000. The increasing number of countries distancing themselves from the separatist group highlights the shifting dynamics on the global stage — where realism and pragmatism are replacing outdated allegiances. Tags: Algeria and Western Saharaautonomy planGhanaSahara

Algerian media claim UK reversed its stance on Western Sahara to neutrality [Fact Check]

Ya Biladi

13 hours ago

Ya Biladi

Algerian media claim UK reversed its stance on Western Sahara to neutrality [Fact Check]

Days after announcing its change of position on the Western Sahara conflict, supporting Morocco's 2007 autonomy proposal as «the most practical, credible, and achievable basis for a lasting resolution», Algerian public and private media claimed that the United Kingdom had reverted to a neutral stance. Algerian media based their reports on a statement published Monday on the official UK government website titled «New UK-Moroccan partnerships to grow UK economy». The news website Algérie Nouvelle, affiliated with the national channel, published an article titled «Britain Retracts and Supports International Legitimacy to Resolve the Western Sahara Conflict». The article added that the British government clarified its position, stating: «The United Kingdom seeks to support a lasting resolution to the Western Sahara conflict that is agreed upon by the parties, supports the UN-led process, and respects the principle of self-determination». The government channel Algérie Internationale reported that «Britain reaffirms its support for UN efforts to find a lasting solution to the conflict agreed upon by both parties». Other Algerian media outlets such as El Bilad, Echorouk, Akhbar Al Watan, and Eldjazair Daily published similar articles. David Lammy says the same thing in Rabat and London However, Algerian media failed to mention the UK government's explicit announcement regarding its change of stance on the Sahara conflict. The statement specified that «The UK has chosen to endorse autonomy within the Moroccan state as the most credible, viable, and pragmatic basis for a mutually-agreed and lasting solution to the Western Sahara dispute, one that can deliver on our commitments to conflict resolution in the region and self-determination for the people of Western Sahara». Moreover, Britain, «as a member of the UN Security Council, and as a friend to countries across the region», seeks in its new position «to support a mutually-agreed solution to the conflict that supports the UN-led process and respects the principle of self-determination. Approaching the 50-year anniversary of the conflict, it is vital that we leverage this window of opportunity to secure a lasting solution to the dispute, and one that delivers a better future for the people of the Western Sahara». It is worth noting that this is not the first time Algeria has promoted the idea that countries have withdrawn their support for the autonomy proposal. In April 2024, Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune claimed he had «forced» Spain to withdraw its support, and in early May 2025, the Algerian Foreign Ministry asserted that Ghana had also retracted its backing of the autonomy plan. A similar scenario occurred with Sierra Leone, a country that recognizes Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara, in January 2024, as well as with Slovenia in May of the same year.

Global Opinion Turns Against Israel, New Poll

Morocco World

17 hours ago

Morocco World

Global Opinion Turns Against Israel, New Poll

Rabat – The new Pew Research Center survey conducted across 24 countries reveals that global perceptions of Israel and its Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are overwhelmingly negative – even in countries that once held positive views of Israel. In 20 of the 24 countries surveyed, roughly half or more of adults reported an unfavorable opinion of Israel. This sentiment was especially strong in nations such as Australia, Greece, Indonesia, Japan, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and Turkiye, where around or more than 75% of people held negative views. The United States also saw a significant shift, with the share of Americans expressing a negative view of Israel increased from 42% in March 2022 to 53% in March 2025, marking an 11% rise over three years. Expectedly, Political ideology helped shape public opinion. Across many countries, those on the left were far more likely to view Israel unfavorably compared to those on the right. In Australia, 90% of left-leaning respondents had an unfavorable view of Israel, compared to just 46% on the right. The ideological divide in the US was similarly stark: 74% of liberals viewed Israel negatively, versus 30% of conservatives. The data also shows a stark generational divide. Younger respondents in several high-income countries—including Australia, Canada, France, Poland, South Korea, and the US— were significantly more likely than older generations to hold negative views of Israel. This age gap was particularly pronounced in the US. War criminal in charge While Israel's system of apartheid and ethnic cleansing and apartheid surpass and pre-date Netanyahu — warranted for war crimes at the International Criminal Court (ICC) — confidence in the Israeli prime minister was also low across most surveyed countries. Outside of Kenya and Nigeria, no more than 33% of adults expressed confidence in his ability to handle world affairs. In countries such as Australia, France, Germany, Greece, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and Turkiye, around 74% or more said they had little or no confidence in Netanyahu, with many expressing no confidence at all. Younger respondents again expressed less confidence in Netanyahu than older ones. In Hungary, for example, only 20% of adults aged 18–34 said they trusted Netanyahu, compared to 40% of those 50 and older. Ideologically, the pattern mirrored views of Israel: right-leaning individuals were more likely to express confidence in Netanyahu. In France, 25% of right-leaning respondents had confidence in him, compared to just 8% on the left. A few outliers By contrast, views were more favorable in Kenya and Nigeria, where around half or more of respondents viewed Israel positively. This relatively favorable perception is likely rooted in the influence of Christian Zionism among the growing evangelical and Pentecostal communities in both countries, which Israel actively supports. These groups tend to view Israel through a biblical lens — as a fulfillment of a sacred prophecy — which shapes public opinion through sermons and teachings that cultivates unwavering support for Israel while shielding its human rights crimes. In India, the public opinion was relatively divided, with 34% holding a favorable view and 29% an unfavorable one. This can be in part linked to the rise of Hindu-Nationalism and anti-Muslim sentiment in India, especially under prime minister Narendra Modi. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (PJB) has increasingly aligned itself with Israel both diplomatically and ideologically, centering Israel's policies as a model for its own approach towards Muslims and occupied Kashmir. When it comes to views within Israel, the center focused its research on whether nationals feel that Israel is 'respected' globally without offering subsequent questions on what that respect entails in their view. The research shows that 58% of Israelis believe their country is not respected internationally, compared to 39% who believe it is. The centre notes that this shift marks a growing pessimism from the previous year, with a notable increase in the share who feel Israel is 'not at all' respected — from 15% to 24%. The research also found that Israelis on the right are more likely than those on the left to believe that the entity is respected internationally. However, it found that Arab citizens of Israel and Jewish citizens expressed similar views on this question. Notably, in this case the research only includes Arabs living within Israel's 1948 border following the Nakba, and does not reflect the views of Palestinians in the West Bank or Gaza — those who borne the brunt of Israeli apartheid and genocide.