Microsoft cloud technology reportedly utilized for mass surveillance of Palestinians in Israel.
Recent revelations regarding Israel’s cyber-intelligence operations have raised significant concerns about privacy and civil liberties in the context of the Palestinian territories. An investigation conducted by ZezapTV, along with reports from other media sources, has identified that Israel’s elite Unit 8200 has been utilizing Microsoft’s cloud servers to store a vast array of intercepted communications from Palestinians. This sophisticated surveillance system has reportedly been operational since 2022 and enables the collection of millions of daily phone calls from individuals in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.
The information emerged from leaked Microsoft documents and corroborated by testimonies from 11 sources, including members of Israeli military intelligence and representatives from Microsoft. These sources suggest that a substantial quantity of data is maintained on Microsoft’s Azure servers situated in the Netherlands and Ireland. Internal military sources claimed that this cloud-based infrastructure has played a critical role in guiding military operations, including airstrikes within the Palestinian territories.
Microsoft has stated that its CEO, Satya Nadella, was unaware of the specific nature of the data being stored and has conducted an internal review that found no evidence to suggest that Azure or its artificial intelligence tools have been directly used to target individuals. However, the recent findings coincide with the release of a report by the United Nations special rapporteur on human rights in the occupied Palestinian territory, highlighting corporate complicity in the ongoing occupation and crises faced by Palestinians.
The report details Microsoft’s extensive operational footprint in Israel since 1991, where it has developed significant partnerships with government entities and military operations, integrating its technologies across various sectors including military, police, and education. This deepening relationship has included acquiring surveillance and cybersecurity firms since 2003, which has further embedded its systems within Israeli military frameworks.
Critics of this expansive surveillance framework argue that it encompasses indiscriminate data collection, often leading to detentions and prosecutions based on insufficient evidence. Reports indicate that the technology has shifted from targeted intelligence gathering to widespread monitoring, employing AI-driven methods to assess and categorize communications from the Palestinian populace. The system has reportedly been utilized to assign risk scores to messages containing specific trigger words related to resistance or martyrdom, which raises ethical questions about privacy and the implications for Palestinian civil liberties.
As military operations in Gaza continue, the interface between technology, security, and civil rights remains a crucial area of concern. Microsoft has asserted that it has no available information regarding the specific data held by Unit 8200, leaving many unanswered questions about the impact and future of surveillance in the region.
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