News Summary

A major $1.2 billion cloud-computing deal, known as Project Nimbus, between Israel, Google, and Amazon has come under scrutiny for its controversial terms. Leaked documents revealed that Israel demanded a secret ‘winking mechanism’ to sidestep legal obligations, allowing Google and Amazon to alert Israeli authorities discreetly when foreign courts or law enforcement request Israeli data. This mechanism utilizes coded payments corresponding to the dialing codes of the countries requesting data. The deal prohibits Google and Amazon from suspending or restricting Israel’s access to cloud services, even if linked to human rights abuses. These terms were inserted to protect Israel’s access amidst concerns over potential legal actions relating to the use of technology in military operations in the West Bank and Gaza. Despite denials from Google and Amazon regarding circumventing legal obligations, the arrangement has raised significant legal and ethical concerns.