Amazon (AMZN) is in the spotlight, as supporters of Israel are dismayed by a recent video promoting an upcoming AWS event in Las Vegas. In the video, the AWS vice president of Global Specialists and Partner Organizations, Ruba Borno, is shown wearing an inflammatory piece of jewelry – a necklace pendant in the shape of Israel, with a Palestinian flag across it. Initially, instead of addressing this erasure of the State of Israel, an Amazon spokesperson declined to comment about Borno’s choice of jewelry, according to the Jewish Insider.
Don't Miss our Black Friday Offers:
- Unlock your investing potential with TipRanks Premium - Now At 40% OFF!
- Make smarter investments with weekly expert stock picks from the Smart Investor Newsletter
However, an Amazon spokesperson did respond to a request from TipRanks for comment. The spokesperson said, “The violence and loss of life happening every day in the Middle East is tragic, and at Amazon, our hearts and thoughts are with any person or community that’s affected. Our leadership remains in regular contact with our teams based in the region to offer our support. 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.”
Regardless, this incident is causing consternation among founders and employees of Israel’s tech sector. The pendant worn by the AWS vice president is reminiscent of the genocidal “River to the Sea…” chant that’s common among anti-Israel protesters, referring to a wish to have all Jews leave Israel.
How Is AMZN Stock?
For now, Amazon is holding steady, with only a 2% fall in the past three months and a 2.8% rise over the past six months. Ten days before earnings, analysts are optimistic on AMZN stock, with the average Amazon consensus price target implying an upside of 18.8%.
Supporters of Israel, aka the “Start-Up Nation,” are upset about about this Amazon’s employee’s apparent genocidal wish to wipe Israel off the map. Some executives have started commenting that they will now leave Amazon AWS for other solutions, so competitors like Microsoft (MSFT) could benefit from this public relations disaster.
It remains to be seen if Amazon’s stock will fall in the wake of this incident.
