Microsoft Halts Services to Israeli Military Amid Surveillance Allegations
In response to ongoing investigations and allegations regarding the use of its technology in mass surveillance of Palestinians, Microsoft has decided to cut off access to various services for the Israeli military, specifically targeting its defense units. The company has revoked cloud services and disabled functionalities used by Israel’s Unit 8200 and other related entities after reports revealed the potential misuse of their platforms for surveilling Palestinian civilians. This decision has drawn both support and criticism, with advocacy groups welcoming the move amidst concerns of human rights violations. Microsoft has stated that it will continue its review of existing engagements and ensure its technologies are not employed in activities that violate ethical standards.
Financial Times, The Official Microsoft Blog, KOMO, The Guardian, The New York Times, CNBC, Yahoo Finance, +972 Magazine, The Jerusalem Post, Reuters