Israel: Mass Surveillance of Palestinians via Microsoft Azure

An investigation by the Guardian reveals that Israel, with the help of Microsoft, is conducting mass surveillance of Palestinian telephone communications. The Israeli army's Unit 8200 uses Microsoft's Azure to store and analyze millions of phone calls from Gaza and the West Bank.

According to the report, the system went into operation in 2022 and allowed Israel to record and retain a huge amount of telephone conversations for long periods. Microsoft claims it was unaware of the exact purpose of using Azure, but sources say the data was used to plan bombings in Gaza.

This practice has provoked reactions, with a Microsoft employee interrupting a speech by CEO Satya Nadella, asking why the company supports Israel's war crimes. Despite its technological superiority, the system did not prevent the October 7 attacks.

Israel controls the Palestinian telecommunications network and has been monitoring telephone conversations in the occupied territories for a long time. The new system, however, has allowed the mass surveillance of millions of citizens.