Tel Aviv — A joint investigation has revealed that Microsoft developed a tailor-made version of its Azure cloud platform for Israel’s military intelligence Unit 8200, enabling the mass storage and analysis of surveillance data on Palestinians — including millions of recorded phone calls.
The investigative report — conducted by The Guardian, +972 Magazine, and Local Call — uncovers how the cloud-based system, operational since 2022, has allowed Unit 8200 to record and retain large volumes of Palestinian communications. Sources claim the data has been instrumental in planning Israeli airstrikes and military raids in Gaza and the West Bank.
At the centre of the controversy is the role of Microsoft’s Azure platform, which reportedly offers Unit 8200 the capability to store thousands of hours of phone conversations daily, maintaining this surveillance data over long periods. According to internal documents and interviews with 11 individuals familiar with both Microsoft operations and Israeli intelligence practices, the tech giant was aware of the system’s usage and scale.
Despite Microsoft’s claim that CEO Satya Nadella was not briefed on the specific nature of Unit 8200’s intended data storage, insiders suggest otherwise. Several Microsoft employees raised ethical concerns internally as the project progressed, but were allegedly told the Azure deployment fell within “standard client parameters.”
Unit 8200, often compared to the NSA, has long been criticised for its surveillance operations targeting Palestinians. This latest revelation raises serious questions about corporate complicity in military-led surveillance programs, particularly as tech companies face global scrutiny over the ethical use of their platforms in conflict zones.
The backlash against Microsoft is mounting, particularly among digital rights advocates who say the company’s infrastructure has directly enabled human rights violations. Critics argue that the deployment contradicts Microsoft’s publicly stated principles around responsible AI and digital ethics.
As tensions in the region persist, the revelations are expected to intensify calls for greater transparency and accountability within the tech industry regarding partnerships with military and intelligence agencies. Microsoft has not commented on whether it plans to reassess or terminate its collaboration with the Israeli defence sector.
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