Microsoft has disabled specific cloud and AI services for a unit within the Israeli Ministry of Defence, following an internal review that found the ministry's use of Azure cloud services violated company policy. The Israeli military's Unit 8200, an intelligence agency, had been utilising Microsoft's Azure platform to store and analyse a large volume of intercepted phone calls from Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank.
The decision follows reports that the surveillance program, initiated after a 2021 meeting between Microsoft's CEO and Unit 8200's commander, collected and stored millions of phone calls, raising concerns about mass surveillance. Microsoft's action does not impact its cybersecurity services to Israel and other countries in the Middle East.
Microsoft stated it does not provide technology to facilitate mass civilian surveillance and applies this principle globally. The company's review was initiated after concerns were raised regarding the use of its technology in the region.
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