Microsoft Admits Ties with Israel Defense Ministry Amid Gaza Scrutiny
(MENAFN) Microsoft has acknowledged providing cloud and artificial intelligence services to Israel's Defense Ministry. This confirmation comes amid increasing scrutiny regarding the involvement of American technology companies in the ongoing conflict and the potential use of their tools.
In a statement released on Thursday, the tech giant addressed public and internal worries about whether its Microsoft Azure and AI technologies had been utilized "to target civilians or cause harm" in Gaza.
This announcement follows months of persistent pressure from Microsoft employees and human rights organizations who have been demanding greater transparency about the company's connections with the Israeli military.
The company stated, "We take these concerns seriously," and added that it had initiated an internal review and engaged an external firm to conduct a further investigation.
"Based on these reviews, including interviewing dozens of employees and assessing documents, we have found no evidence to date that Microsoft’s Azure and AI technologies have been used to target or harm people in the conflict in Gaza," the company asserted.
Confirmed Relations with Israeli Defense Ministry
Microsoft verified its existing commercial relationship with the Israeli Defense Ministry (IMOD), stating that it provides software, professional services, Azure cloud, and AI services, which include tools for language translation.
The company clarified that it lacks insight into how clients utilize Microsoft products on private servers or devices. It also noted that cloud operations for IMOD are supported "through contracts with cloud providers other than Microsoft."
Furthermore, Microsoft revealed that it extended "limited emergency support" to the Israeli government following the October 7th attack led by Hamas, explaining that this assistance was intended to aid in the rescue of hostages.
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