https://www.dailymail.co.uk/ne...lace-ruba-borno.html

By JAMES CIRRONE FOR DAILYMAIL.COM
PUBLISHED: 16:52 EDT, 14 October 2024 | UPDATED: 17:00 EDT, 14 October 2024

An Amazon executive appeared in a company video wearing a pendant shaped like a map of Israel emblazoned with the Palestinian flag, prompting some to call for a boycott of the tech behemoth.

Ruba Borno, vice president of Global Specialists and Partner Organizations for Amazon Web Services, was spotted donning the necklace in a video promoting a company conference in Las Vegas.

Borno, a Palestinian by birth, fled Kuwait with her parents during the first Gulf War in 1990. The family came to the United States, where Borno received advanced degrees in electrical engineering from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and the University of Michigan.

Amazon has since removed the video, with a company spokesperson telling DailyMail.com: 'The video shot was not meant to be a political statement, but we've taken down the video and will repost a new one in the coming days.'


Ruba Borno, the vice president of Global Specialists and Partner Organizations for Amazon Web Services, is seen wearing the necklace in a company video


A similar necklace is for sale on eBay

Amazon added that its leadership 'remains in regular contact with our teams based in the region to offer our support.'

Since this controversy blew up, Borno appears to have deleted her X account.

She has worked at Amazon Web Services since November 2021, with previous stints at Experian, Cisco and the Boston Consulting Group.

People across social media shared differing opinions on the display.

'Vile. This is unacceptable and warrants immediate termination @JeffBezos,' a user person replied to the X account Hamas Atrocities, which reposted the video before it was taken down.

'Canceling my subscription to prime video,' another wrote.

'Such a disgusting woman,' a third added.

One commenter said they would start buying products from Temu, another e-commerce marketplace, instead of Amazon.

Many tagged Amazon's company account or Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, who stepped down as CEO in 2021 but remains the executive chairman and largest shareholder.

Jewish Insider, an outlet covering politics and policy in the US and the Middle East, was the first to flag Borno wearing the necklace.

The video, while sparking outrage from many commenters, also attracted some who thought Borno's necklace wasn't a big deal.

'Tbh this doesn't seem worth getting mad about,' one person wrote.

'This is such a reach,' another said.

Jewish Insider pointed out that an employee working at Amazon subsidiary Annapurna Labs was kidnapped by Hamas during the October 7 attacks.

That employee of the Tel Aviv-based company, 28-year-old Sasha Troufanov, has not been freed after more than a year in captivity.

Hamas took many Israeli hostages after killing roughly 1,200 people in the attacks.

Both sides have done some pretty terrible things to the other on that front, but my outlook as a Christian has always been it's a family affair.

Having said that, this lady knew exactly what she was doing by wearing the pendant on a company recorded video.

quote:

Originally posted by soflaac:
Both sides have done some pretty terrible things to the other on that front

One has purposely sought to maximize civilian casualties-- on both sides of the fence-- and routinely uses its own women and children as human shields and propaganda props. That side is not coincidentally the de facto government in Gaza.

The other has gone out of its way to minimize "civilian" damage, even at the expense of their own soldiers.

If you're drawing moral equivalency between the two...

I don't care. She could wear a large map of Israel tied around her neck like a cape. Doesn't matter to me.

quote:

'Tbh this doesn't seem worth getting mad about,' one person wrote.

No different than wearing a swastika necklace. Would you "get mad" about that? Fookin' moron.

quote:

Originally posted by DennisM:
One has purposely sought to maximize civilian casualties-- on both sides of the fence-- and routinely uses its own women and children as human shields and propaganda props. That side is not coincidentally the de facto government in Gaza.

The other has gone out of its way to minimize "civilian" damage, even at the expense of their own soldiers.

If you're drawing moral equivalency between the two...

Agree. 100%. There is no equivalency here.


.

No moral equivalency implied or asserted, rest easy.

I don't really have a concern on either side of the equation at this moment, but I do understand what the future holds over there. I was merely commenting on the lady and the message she was trying to send from an official platform.

Anyone remember the good old days when businesses focused on business and people didn't discuss politics until they got home?

IMHO, your personal political opinion or agenda has no place in business. The only exception is if you're the owner, then you can do whatever you want.

quote:

Originally posted by synthplayer:

<Bill Maher monologue>

Bill Maher, noted libertarian Conservative pundit

quote:

Originally posted by soflaac:
Both sides ....

Sure buddy, whatever you say.

quote:

Originally posted by Skins2881:


Sure buddy, whatever you say.

Thanks buddy.