Responding to Microsoft’s decision to restrict an Israeli military unit’s access to its technology after an investigation found it was being used to store mass surveillance data on Palestinians, Agnès Callamard, Secretary General of Amnesty International said:
“Amnesty International welcomes reports of Microsoft’s decision to terminate Israel’s Unit 8200’s access to certain Azure Cloud storage and AI services, however it is crucial that Microsoft investigate all its contracts, sales and transfers of surveillance, artificial intelligence and related equipment to Israel and ensure that they are not being used in connection with Israel’s human rights violations against Palestinians.
“Microsoft’s move sends a strong signal to all companies, including other Big Tech monoliths, that they too must confront their participation in the global political economy sustaining Israel’s genocide against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, apartheid against all Palestinians whose rights Israel controls, and its unlawful occupation of the Palestinian territory.
Companies must suspend sales of weapons and other military, security and surveillance equipment
“Companies, including other major providers of cloud services, must also suspend all sales and deliveries into Israel of weapons and other military, security and surveillance equipment, or other heavy machinery, parts or goods and services contributing or directly linked to Israel’s international crimes against Palestinians.
“The tide must turn towards accountability. As Israel’s unprecedented campaign of killing, destruction, starvation and forced displacement continues against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, there must be an end to the impunity that Israel has enjoyed and flouted. States must turn their words into action and live up to their legal obligations toward bringing Israel’s genocide against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip to an end. They can no longer claim they didn’t know.
“A growing number of international human rights bodies and experts, including Amnesty International and more recently, the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, have concluded: that Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. The International Court of Justice in January 2024 already raised the alarm on the risk of genocide against Palestinians in Gaza and repeatedly asked Israel to stop its illegal conduct. Orders that have remained cruelly unheeded.
“It is also imperative that states exert pressure on Israel to comply with the UN General Assembly resolution on 18 September 2024, demanding that Israel end its unlawful occupation of the Palestinian territory within 12 months of that date as a result of the July 2024 International Court of Justice’s Advisory Opinion that found Israel’s presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory unlawful. The UNGA also called on member states “[n]ot to render aid or assistance to illegal settlement activities, including not to provide Israel with any assistance to be used specifically in connection with settlements” in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. These words must be rapidly translated into meaningful measures.”
Background on use of mass surveillance technology
Microsoft has reportedly ended the use of some of its Azure Cloud storage technology by the Israeli military Unit 8200 in mass surveillance of Palestinians following a joint investigation by the Guardian, Israeli-Palestinian publication +972 Magazine and the Hebrew-language media outlet Local Call. Microsoft’s own statement confirmed that they supply other products to the Israeli Ministry of Defense, including for security and military purposes.
The investigation exposed how Unit 8200, Israel’s elite military intelligence unit, used Azure Cloud to run a surveillance system that collected, stored, replayed and analyzed millions of civilian phone calls from Gaza and the West Bank, targeting the Palestinian population.
On 18 September 2025, Amnesty International published a briefing calling on states, international, municipal and other public institutions and companies, and other private actors, to apply increased pressure on Israel to abide by its international obligations and put an end to the genocide of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, the unlawful military occupation of the Occupied Palestinian Territory and Israel’s system of apartheid against all Palestinians whose rights it controls. The report names 15 companies that Amnesty International has identified as contributing to Israel’s unlawful actions.
