ALBAWABA- Microsoft has severed cloud service access to an Israeli military intelligence unit after discovering it had been used to conduct mass surveillance of Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and Gaza, the company confirmed Thursday.
The move follows a Guardian investigation alleging that Israel’s Unit 8200, the army’s signals intelligence branch, stored vast troves of intercepted Palestinian phone calls on Microsoft’s Azure platform.
“We do not provide technology to facilitate mass surveillance of civilians. We have applied this principle in every country around the world, and we have insisted on it repeatedly for more than two decades,” Microsoft President Brad Smith said in an email to staff.
The company said it has formally notified Israel’s defense ministry that it would “cease and disable specified IMOD subscriptions and their services, including their use of specific cloud storage and AI services.” Cybersecurity support for Israel and other regional governments will remain unaffected, Smith added.
Microsoft’s action comes amid mounting pressure from employees and investors alarmed by the company’s ties to Israel’s military operations in Gaza, where civilian casualties have drawn global condemnation.
The development coincided with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s trip to Washington for the UN General Assembly.
OIC leaders urge Trump to halt Israeli assaults on Gaza, demand ceasefire and rebuilding planHis visit sparked fresh controversy after Slovenia became the first EU member state to ban him from entering, citing the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant and ongoing genocide allegations at the International Court of Justice.
The U.S.-based Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) welcomed Slovenia’s decision and urged Washington to follow suit. “We commend Slovenia for taking a principled stand in support of international law and human rights,” CAIR said, calling on the U.S. and other governments to impose similar restrictions “until those responsible for crimes against humanity are held accountable.”
Netanyahu’s travel route to New York was notably altered to avoid the airspace of several European states enforcing the ICC warrant, further underscoring the diplomatic fallout confronting Israel.
