Microsoft cuts services to Israeli military unit over surveillance allegations

ISTANBUL

Microsoft said Thursday that it has cut services to an Israeli military unit running a surveillance system that monitored millions of Palestinian calls in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.

“I want to let you know that Microsoft has ceased and disabled a set of services to a unit within the Israel Ministry of Defense (IMOD),” Brad Smith, vice chair and president of the company, said in a statement.

Smith noted the announcement of the launch of a review following an Aug. 6 report by The Guardian that alleged “the IDF (Israeli military) is using Azure for the storage of data files of phone calls obtained through broad or mass surveillance of civilians in Gaza and the West Bank.” Azure is Microsoft’s cloud computing platform.

He said the company examined The Guardian’s allegations based on two core principles, highlighting its view of privacy as a fundamental right and key to ensuring customer trust in its services.

“First, 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,” said the statement.

The company emphasized its commitment to customer privacy, stating that “at no point has Microsoft accessed IMOD’s (Israeli Defense Ministry) customer content.” It said it conducted its review according to its principles, policies, and contracts, focusing solely on internal records, including financial and communication documents.

The review uncovered evidence supporting parts of The Guardian’s report, including IMOD’s use of Azure storage in the Netherlands and AI services.

“We therefore have informed IMOD of Microsoft’s decision to cease and disable specified IMOD subscriptions and their services, including their use of specific cloud storage and AI services and technologies,” said the statement.

Smith noted that Microsoft has reviewed the decision with the IMOD and is taking steps to ensure its services are not used for civilian mass surveillance.

“This does not impact the important work that Microsoft continues to do to protect the cybersecurity of Israel and other countries in the Middle East, including under the Abraham Accords,” he said. The Abraham Accords are a series of US-brokered deals to normalize relations between Israel and a number of Arab and Muslim-majority nations.

Smith appreciated The Guardian’s report and said the review is ongoing and Microsoft will share more details in the coming days and weeks.