Microsoft blocked an Israeli military unit from using some of its technology after finding it was used to surveil Palestinians.
Israel stored a vast trove of data, including millions of civilian phone calls, in Microsoft’s Azure cloud program, The Guardian recently reported; the revelations sparked protests at the US tech giant’s offices. Microsoft’s move to revoke access is extraordinary given its decades-long relationship with the Israeli military, which has ramped up its use of US-made AI models and cloud computing services during the war in Gaza.
US tech firms have been hesitant to stop doing business with the IDF, even as Israel’s isolation deepens elsewhere. Norway’s sovereign wealth fund recently dropped several Israeli investments.