AsianFin -- Microsoft has announced that it will suspend certain cloud and artificial intelligence (AI) services provided to specific units of the Israeli Ministry of Defense (IMOD), following media investigations alleging that its technologies were used to conduct large-scale surveillance of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank.
The investigation, conducted jointly by the The Guardian, Israeli outlets +972 Magazine and Local Call, reported that in August, the Israeli military leveraged Microsoft’s Azure cloud platform to monitor Palestinians and carried out attacks in Gaza, resulting in more than 65,000 deaths in under two years.
Microsoft Vice Chairman and President Brad Smith, in a letter to employees, said the decision was prompted by an external review of company communications and financial records, which corroborated the investigation’s findings. Smith emphasized that Microsoft will not allow its services to be used for large-scale civilian surveillance. The company informed the Israeli Ministry of Defense that the specified IMOD subscriptions and associated AI and cloud services will be disabled.
This move marks a significant shift in Microsoft’s stance toward Israel. Earlier in May, the company stated it found no evidence that its services were being used to target or harm people in Gaza.
While certain services to the IMOD have been suspended, Microsoft will continue other cybersecurity collaborations with Israel. Human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, have welcomed the decision but urged the company to review all contracts with Israel to ensure its technology is not used to violate Palestinian human rights.
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