Huan Qiu Wang·2025-09-26 02:17Core Points - Microsoft has halted the provision of cloud and AI services to a specific department of the Israeli Defense Ministry following reports of large-scale surveillance of Palestinians using its Azure services [1][2] - This action marks the first known instance of a U.S. tech company withdrawing services from the Israeli military since the recent escalation of the Israel-Palestine conflict [1] - Microsoft President Brad Smith stated that the company does not provide technology for mass surveillance of civilians and confirmed evidence supporting the reports [1] Summary by Sections Company Response - Microsoft has conducted a preliminary investigation and found the reports regarding the use of its services for surveillance to be accurate, leading to the decision to stop and disable specific subscriptions and services for the Israeli Defense Ministry [1] - The company emphasized that this decision will not affect its cybersecurity services provided to Israel and other Middle Eastern countries [1] Surveillance Details - An investigation by The Guardian and Israeli media revealed that the Israeli military's 8200 intelligence unit stored millions of Palestinian phone records using Microsoft Azure services [2] - A security official from Israel stated that the operational capabilities of the Israeli Defense Forces have not been compromised by Microsoft's decision [2]