Tech under occupation: How Israel allegedly used Microsoft to spy on Palestinians

According to sources cited by The Guardian, individuals familiar with operations inside Unit 8200 disclosed that data stored on Microsoft's cloud infrastructure was systematically harvested and used for intelligence and military purposes. This reportedly included:

- Blackmailing Palestinian individuals

- Tracking and detaining targets

- Justifying extrajudicial killings

The data was said to include personal, behavioral, and communication information gathered through surveillance, and was utilized as part of a broader Israeli intelligence effort to monitor, control, and suppress Palestinian communities.

Role in military operations

Sources added that this information has been instrumental in planning Israeli military operations, not only in the West Bank but also during the ongoing military campaign in Gaza. The use of such surveillance technologies is reportedly integrated into targeting systems and operational decision-making within the Israeli military.

In response to the report, a Microsoft spokesperson stated that the company had no knowledge of the specific data being stored or processed by Unit 8200 on its Azure platform. The company emphasized that it does not monitor or control how its cloud infrastructure is used by clients unless legal violations or terms of service breaches are detected.

Broader implications

This latest revelation has sparked renewed concerns among human rights organizations and digital privacy advocates over the weaponization of Western technology by authoritarian or occupying regimes.

Critics argue that tech companies, particularly cloud service providers like Microsoft, must take greater responsibility in overseeing how their platforms are used in military, surveillance, and intelligence operations, especially in conflict zones or under occupation.

The report contributes to a growing body of evidence that Israeli authorities use advanced digital tools to exert control over the Palestinian population, often with the support or indirect complicity of Western corporations.

Background on Unit 8200

Unit 8200 is one of the most secretive and advanced cyber intelligence units of the Israeli military. Often compared to the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA), the unit is known for conducting signals intelligence (SIGINT), cyber operations, and surveillance campaigns—both domestically and abroad.

Former members of Unit 8200 have in the past spoken out about the ethical implications of their missions, including the collection of intimate data on civilians for the purpose of manipulation and psychological pressure.