News Summary

Microsoft is conducting an investigation into how Israel’s military surveillance agency, Unit 8200, is utilizing its Azure cloud storage platform. Concerns have been raised about whether Microsoft’s staff in Israel have been fully transparent regarding their knowledge of the military’s use of Azure to store intercepted Palestinian mobile phone calls. This investigation follows a joint report by the Guardian, +972 Magazine, and Local Call, which revealed that Unit 8200 has been using Azure to store recordings of millions of calls made daily in Gaza and the West Bank for intelligence purposes. Some Microsoft executives have expressed doubts about the accuracy of information provided by Israel-based employees, who may prioritize loyalty to their country’s military over their employer. Despite previous assurances that Azure had not been used to harm people in Gaza, Microsoft is now re-evaluating the data stored in its datacentres. The investigation has led to employee protests and calls for the company to sever ties with the Israeli military.