A joint investigation by +972 Magazine, Local Call, and The Guardian has revealed that Microsoft has been helping Israel’s military spy on millions of Palestinians since 2021. According to the report, Microsoft provided its Azure cloud platform to Israel’s military intelligence Unit 8200, which was then used to create a system that collects and stores recordings of millions of daily phone calls from Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza.
Leaked documents and sources from both companies suggest that the platform stores everyday communications and data on regular civilians. Three sources from Unit 8200 confirmed that the intelligence gathered from this system was used to identify targets for airstrikes in Gaza and other operations, despite a reported stipulation from Microsoft that its technology should not be used for lethal strikes. The system was designed to intercept and store “a million calls an hour,” and the data is reportedly held in Microsoft’s data centers in Ireland and the Netherlands.
The report highlights the Israeli military’s increasing reliance on Western technology firms for mass surveillance and data analysis. This collaboration raises significant concerns about privacy, human rights, and the ethical use of technology in conflict zones.
Sources:
The Intercept: Microsoft’s role in Israeli surveillance of Palestinians
Middle East Eye: Investigation reveals tech giants’ ties to Israeli military
