US EditionMicrosoft cuts off cloud services to Israeli military unit after report of storing Palestinians’ phone calls
Microsoft suspended cloud and AI services to an Israeli military unit after finding evidence supporting reports of surveillance on Palestinians, affecting data stored in the Netherlands, company said.
- Microsoft has cut access to cloud services for Israel's Unit 8200 after it stored surveillance data of Palestinian communications on Azure, following an investigation by The Guardian and others.
- Microsoft Vice Chair Brad Smith stated that the company does not facilitate mass surveillance and aims to protect civilians' privacy rights.
- The decision marks the first instance of a U.S. technology company restricting services to the Israeli military during its ongoing conflict in Gaza.
- Amnesty International researcher Matt Mahmoudi welcomed Microsoft's decision, urging other companies to reconsider their technology ties with Israel's surveillance operations.
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"We do not provide technology to facilitate massive civilian surveillance," said Brad Smith, president of the technology giant.
Microsoft cuts Israeli access to products over Gaza surveillance
Microsoft said Thursday it had disabled services to a unit within the Israeli military after a company review had determined its artificial intelligence and cloud computing products were being used to help carry out mass surveillance of Palestinians. The action comes after The Associated Press and The Guardian published reports earlier this year revealing how the Israeli Ministry of Defense had been using Microsoft's Azure platform to aid in the…
The decision was taken after investigating allegations of the use of the group's technologies for the massive monitoring of Palestinian civilians.
The technology company puts an end to the military unit's access to artificial intelligence and data services after The Guardian revealed a secret spy project, although access to other services is maintained
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