Microsoft Takes Action Against Israeli Military Unit for Surveillance Activities

In a significant move announced on Thursday, Microsoft has disabled certain services provided to a specific unit within the Israeli military. This decision follows an internal review which concluded that the company’s artificial intelligence and cloud computing products were being employed to facilitate mass surveillance of Palestinians.

Background on Microsoft’s Involvement

The action comes in response to reports from reputable sources such as The Associated Press (AP) and The Guardian. These investigations revealed that the Israeli Ministry of Defense had been leveraging Microsoft’s Azure platform during the ongoing conflict in Gaza and the military occupation of the West Bank. In a blog post, Microsoft Vice Chair and President Brad Smith emphasized that the company is committed to enforcing compliance with its terms of service.

Surge in Usage of Microsoft Products

An AP investigation conducted in February highlighted a notable increase in the use of Microsoft technologies by the Israeli military following the surprise attack by Hamas on October 7, 2023. Internal Microsoft data indicated that the Israeli forces utilized significant amounts of cloud storage and advanced AI-driven language translation services during this period.

Surveillance and Intelligence Gathering

Further revelations detailed how the Israeli military exhibited a reliance on Microsoft Azure to compile intelligence gathered through various forms of mass surveillance. This included the transcription and translation of phone calls and text messages from Palestinian civilians. The gathered information was subsequently cross-referenced with the Israeli military’s proprietary AI systems for operational targeting, particularly for airstrikes.

Ties to Elite Military Unit

AP’s reporting also uncovered that multiple Azure subscriptions were connected to Unit 8200, an elite cyber warfare division within the Israeli Army known for its clandestine operations in signal intelligence and surveillance. In May, Microsoft confirmed that it had provided advanced AI and cloud computing services to the Israeli military during the Gaza conflict, stating that these services were also used to assist in efforts to locate and rescue Israeli hostages. However, the company claimed that its internal review found no evidence that its services were employed to specifically target or cause harm to individuals.

Direct Engagement with Military Leadership

The Guardian, in collaboration with the Israeli-Palestinian publication +972 Magazine and another Hebrew-language outlet, Local Call, reported in August on a direct meeting between Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and the commander of Unit 8200 in 2021. Following this engagement, the Israeli unit reportedly utilized Microsoft products to create an AI-enhanced mass surveillance system. This system allegedly processed millions of phone calls daily from Palestinian citizens, with data stored in Microsoft cloud centers located in Europe.

Ongoing Investigations and Compliance Issues

After the revelations by The Guardian, Microsoft initiated a secondary review conducted by an external law firm. While that investigation is still underway, Smith indicated on Thursday that early findings confirmed the misuse of Microsoft products in violation of its service terms. However, the specific Israeli unit affected by the service ban has not been disclosed.

When questioned by AP regarding the details of this situation, including whether Unit 8200 was involved, Microsoft declined to provide specific answers. The company also did not clarify how it would prevent the Israeli military from transferring its surveillance operations to other Azure subscriptions under its controls.

Reactions from Israeli Security Officials

An Israeli security official expressed to the AP that Microsoft’s decision would not impact the operational effectiveness of the Israel Defense Forces. The official spoke under anonymity, aligning with standard military protocols in Israel.

Employee Response to Announcement

The reaction among Microsoft employees has been varied. Hossam Nasr, who was among several employees dismissed or detained following protests over the company’s role in the Gaza conflict, referred to the announcement as a “significant and unprecedented win.” However, he expressed that more substantial actions were necessary, stating, “Microsoft has only disabled a small subset of services to only one unit in the Israeli military. The vast majority of Microsoft’s contract with the Israeli military remains intact.”