Microsoft announced on Thursday that it had halted services to a specific unit in the Israeli military following an internal review that revealed the unit was using Microsoft’s AI and cloud computing technologies for mass surveillance of Palestinians. This action was taken after reports by The Associated Press and The Guardian exposed the Israeli Ministry of Defence’s use of Microsoft’s Azure platform to support military operations in Gaza and the West Bank, including storing recordings of phone calls made by Palestinians in these areas.
Brad Smith, Microsoft’s vice-chair and president, stated in a blog post that the company was committed to enforcing its terms of service and does not support technologies that facilitate mass surveillance of civilians. An investigation by the AP earlier this year highlighted a significant increase in the Israeli military’s use of Microsoft products after an attack by Hamas militants in October 2023, with data showing extensive utilization of cloud storage and AI-powered language translation services.
The AP report revealed that Israel’s military was leveraging Microsoft Azure for compiling and analyzing data gathered through mass surveillance, including phone calls and text messages, to aid in targeting airstrikes. Subscriptions to Azure were linked to Unit 8200, an elite cyber warfare unit within the Israeli Army responsible for surveillance and intelligence operations.
Following scrutiny from various sources, Microsoft acknowledged selling advanced AI and cloud computing services to the Israeli military during the Gaza conflict, but maintained that its products were not used to harm individuals. The Guardian’s report in August detailed a meeting between the commander of Unit 8200 and Microsoft’s CEO in 2021, leading to the development of a mass surveillance system using Microsoft technologies to monitor phone calls made by Palestinian civilians.
In response to these revelations, Microsoft initiated a second review by an external law firm, which uncovered evidence of violations of its terms of service. While the specific unit losing access to Microsoft services was not named, the decision to suspend access was welcomed by pro-Palestinian groups and tech industry workers advocating for ethical practices in tech companies.
Despite some employee protests and terminations at Microsoft, the company remains under pressure to sever ties with the Israeli government completely. Microsoft’s actions have drawn mixed reactions, with some viewing the suspension of services as a positive step, while others believe more extensive measures are necessary to address the broader implications of its contracts with the Israeli military.
