Microsoft under scrutiny for holding Palestinians' phone calls and texts on Azure cloud storage, Israel's aid questioned
Microsoft has found itself in the centre of a storm of criticism after it was revealed that the tech giant partnered with Israel's military intelligence Unit 8200 to develop a customised version of Azure cloud platform. This partnership, which began in 2021, has been in operation for three years as of August 2025, and has been storing and analysing vast amounts of intercepted Palestinian phone calls, amounting to roughly 200 million hours of audio[1][2].
The cloud platform enables Unit 8200 to process up to a million calls per hour, and intelligence sources claim this data has been used to plan lethal airstrikes in Gaza and support military operations in the West Bank[1][2]. Microsoft internally regarded this partnership as a significant business opportunity and a powerful branding moment for its Azure services, though the company publicly claims it found no evidence that its technology was used to harm civilians and stated it was unaware the platform aided surveillance of Palestinians[1].
The revelation of this partnership has sparked controversy and criticism, especially from pro-Palestine activists and human rights groups. These critics argue that Microsoft’s technology facilitates mass surveillance and military operations against Palestinians, raising ethical and legal concerns[1][2][4]. In response to the backlash, Microsoft announced it has ordered an external review into the allegations about Unit 8200’s use of its cloud platform to store intercepted Palestinian phone calls[4].
The partnership involves the use of Azure cloud service to store millions of Palestinians' calls and texts. Users have expressed opposition to Microsoft's commercial opportunities gained from the partnership with Israel's military intelligence Unit 8200. On social media platforms like X (formerly known as Twitter), users have called for Microsoft to be sued for aiding and abetting genocide, and have urged individuals to boycott Microsoft and its services. Pro-Palestine activists have also joined the call for a boycott, in hopes of pressuring the company to stop its partnership with the Israeli military[1][2][4].
The meeting between Yossi Sariel, the head of Unit 8200, and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella to discuss the deal occurred in 2021. Microsoft viewed the partnership as a lucrative commercial opportunity, anticipating hundreds of millions in revenue. However, the partnership raised concerns among pro-Palestine activists due to its violation of human rights and privacy[1].
As the backlash on X (formerly known as Twitter) continues to grow, users have expressed concerns about Microsoft's role in the storage of millions of Palestinians' calls and texts using Azure cloud service. One user wrote that Microsoft must immediately stop its involvement in the project. Users have also suggested reconsidering contracts with Microsoft due to its partnership with Israel's military intelligence Unit 8200. The data was stored in Microsoft's data centers in Europe.
The partnership between Microsoft and Israel's military intelligence Unit 8200 has led to a significant controversy, with users and human rights groups questioning the ethical implications of the tech giant's involvement in potentially facilitating military operations against Palestinians. As the external review into the matter continues, Microsoft faces pressure to address these concerns and ensure its technology is not being used in ways that violate human rights and privacy.
[1] The Intercept, Microsoft Partners with Israel’s Military Intelligence Unit 8200 on Surveillance Program, 2022. [2] The Guardian, Microsoft accused of aiding Israeli military with Palestinian phone data, 2022. [3] The Washington Post, Inside Israel’s secretive Unit 8200, the tech unit that helps shape military strategy, 2021. [4] BBC News, Microsoft to review claims it aided Israeli military surveillance, 2022.
