ALBAWABA - According to a joint investigation by several outlets, Microsoft sparked backlash from pro-Palestine activists after reportedly partnering with the Israeli military to store millions of Palestinians' calls and texts via Azure.
The Guardian, +972 Magazine, and Local Call revealed that Microsoft collaborated with Israel's military intelligence Unit 8200 in a surveillance program and used the Azure cloud service to store the information inside its data centers in Europe.
Reports also revealed that Israel asked for Microsoft's assistance after reportedly running out of space on their cloud service. The investigation's exposé raised concerns among pro-Palestine activists due to its violation of human rights and privacy.
Microsoft aids Israel: Under fire for storing Palestinians' calls and texts on Azure
Additionally, the investigation revealed that in 2021, Yossi Sariel, the head of Unit 8200, and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella met to discuss the deal, and the project went live in 2022. This means that Azure has been reportedly storing the data of Palestinians for three years.
According to The Guardian, Microsoft viewed the deal as a "lucrative commercial opportunity" and "an incredibly powerful brand [Azure] moment" due to the anticipation of hundreds of millions in revenue.
Unit 8200 sources revealed that the cloud service helped in the preparation of several military operations in Gaza and the West Bank.
Pro-Palestine activists took to several social media platforms to urge individuals to boycott Microsoft and its services. The boycott hopes to put pressure on the American tech giant to stop its partnership with the Israeli military.
Several social media users took to X (formerly known as Twitter) and voiced their opinions:
One user wrote, "Microsoft should be sued for aiding and abetting genocide."
"Another added, "Microsoft must immediately stop providing surveillance tools that enable war crimes against Palestinians. If they won’t it’s time to reconsider contracts with them."
