Microsoft has suspended certain Azure cloud services used by the Israeli military after an investigation led by The Guardian revealed large-scale phone surveillance of Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza.
The company said its preliminary review showed Israel’s Ministry of Defense had been using Azure storage and AI services in Europe, prompting the suspension. Cybersecurity services provided to Israel and other Middle Eastern clients will remain unaffected.
Brad Smith, Microsoft’s president, emphasized that the firm does not provide technology for civilian mass surveillance. Pro-Palestinian groups, including CAIR and the “No Azure for Apartheid” campaign, welcomed the move and renewed calls for Microsoft to cut all ties with Israel.
The Israeli military denied directly working with Microsoft on surveillance, saying its partnerships with private companies are legally supervised.
The suspension comes amid heightened global scrutiny of Big Tech’s ties with Israel as the Gaza crisis intensifies. Human rights groups and UN investigators have accused Israel of genocide, while Israel insists its actions are acts of self-defense following the Hamas-led attacks in October 2023.
