Microsoft cuts ties with Israeli military over surveillance of Palestinians

Microsoft has announced that it has terminated certain cloud services for the Israeli military following reports that its technology was being used for mass surveillance of Palestinians.

In a statement published on the company’s blog, Microsoft President Brad Smith confirmed that services were “ceased and disabled” for a unit within Israel’s Ministry of Defense. The move comes after an investigation by The Guardian and +972 Magazine revealed that Israel’s Unit 8200, a military intelligence branch, had allegedly stored millions of Palestinian phone calls on Microsoft Azure servers.

The company launched a review of the allegations on August 15, examining business records, contracts, and internal documents. Smith emphasized that Microsoft does not provide technology “to facilitate mass surveillance of civilians,” a policy the company says it upholds globally.

During the review, Microsoft found evidence supporting parts of the investigation, including Israel’s use of Azure storage in the Netherlands and various AI services. As a result, the company has now blocked specific subscriptions tied to Israel’s Defense Ministry, cutting off access to both cloud storage and AI technologies.

This decision marks a significant step for Microsoft, underscoring its commitment to ethical standards in the use of its cloud and AI services.