Protesters Storm Microsoft Dutch Data Hub Over Israeli Military Data Use

Activists Scale Building, Light Flares in Protest Against Surveillance Allegations

Activists have targeted a major Microsoft data center in the Netherlands, protesting claims that the Israeli military is storing extensive surveillance data there. The demonstration follows revelations of intercepted Palestinian phone calls being held on Microsoft’s Azure cloud platform.

‘Push Back’ Against Data Storage

The group, known as Geef Tegengas (Push Back), occupied the roof of the facility in Noord-Holland on Sunday. Social media images depict activists blocking access to the site and igniting flares. The protest stems from a joint investigation that uncovered Unit 8200, the Israeli military’s intelligence agency, utilizing Microsoft’s Azure cloud servers in the Netherlands.

Leaked Microsoft documents suggest a staggering 11,500 terabytes of Israeli military data, equating to roughly 200 million hours of audio, was housed on Dutch Azure servers by July. The activists issued a statement urging all data center employees to cease work until Israeli intelligence data is removed.

Parliamentary Scrutiny and Corporate Response

The allegations have sparked a debate in the Dutch parliament. Christine Teunissen, a Member of Parliament for the Party for the Animals, questioned the government’s role in preventing data from being used in acts that could be considered genocide. Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp indicated a willingness to investigate, stating that legal proceedings could commence if serious indications of criminal offenses emerge.

Microsoft has responded to the investigation by stating it has no knowledge of the specific data stored by Unit 8200. A spokesperson asserted that the company was unaware of any civilian surveillance or collection of phone conversations through its services. Reports suggest senior Microsoft executives are urgently assessing the scope of Unit 8200’s data holdings within Azure, concerned that details may have been withheld by their Israeli staff.

The Israeli military has maintained that its work with Microsoft adheres to legally supervised agreements and operates within international law, focusing on counter-terrorism and national security.

Broader Context of Tech and Surveillance

This incident highlights growing concerns about the intersection of cloud computing infrastructure and state surveillance capabilities. The scale of data potentially involved is immense; for comparison, the entire digitized collection of the U.S. Library of Congress is estimated to be around 170 terabytes, underscoring the vastness of the Israeli military’s reported data storage. This situation is part of a wider global discussion on data privacy, accountability, and the ethical implications of technological advancements in intelligence gathering.