How Did Microsoft Block Calls to Gazans?

For many Palestinians who use Skype to connect with family in Gaza, the sudden closure of their Microsoft email accounts has brought profound disruption to their digital lives.

In interviews with the BBC, twenty Palestinians living abroad reported that Microsoft had abruptly terminated their accounts, cutting off access to emails, contacts, and cherished memories accumulated over more than a decade. The actual number of affected users is suspected to be much higher.

Violating Terms?

Microsoft's rationale for these closures is a vague assertion that the users violated the company's terms of service. 

The tech giant has offered no further explanation and stated that the decision is final.

Palestinians affected by these closures vehemently deny any connections to Hamas. They accuse Microsoft of unjustly targeting them.

Salah al-Saadi, who resides in the United States, depended on Skype for affordable calls to his wife, children, and parents in Gaza, where internet disruptions and the high cost of direct international calls make communication challenging.

However, last April, his account, which he had maintained for 15 years, was suddenly closed, affecting all services linked to his Microsoft account.

Al-Saadi expressed frustration over missed job opportunities and lost access to his bank accounts tied to his Hotmail.

"They banned me for no reason, saying I violated their terms — what terms? Tell me," he implored. Despite submitting numerous recovery requests, he has been met with unsatisfactory responses.

Other Palestinians have shared similar experiences on social media, expressing fear of wrongful association with Hamas.

Iyad Hamito, calling from Saudi Arabia, lamented, "We are civilians with no political background; we just want to check on our families."

Hamito, whose nearly 20-year-old email was suspended, said, "They killed my online life."

Microsoft has not directly addressed these allegations. A spokesperson stated that bans are not based on calling areas or destinations but may result from suspected fraudulent activity, and users can appeal.

However, those interviewed by the BBC reported repeated, futile attempts to regain access to their accounts.

The experience has left many distrustful of Microsoft. Khaled Obaid, who also had his account blocked, said, "I don’t trust them anymore."

He added, "I paid for a package to make phone calls, and after 10 days, they blocked me for no reason, and they didn’t even provide an explanation."

For Obaid and others, the belief is clear: they were targeted solely because they are Palestinian and connected to Gaza.

Israeli Support

The ties between Microsoft and the Israeli occupation span decades and encompass a wide range of collaborations.

The company’s first research center outside the United States was established in “Israel” in 1991, marking the beginning of a long history of cooperation and investment in military technologies.

In 2002, Microsoft signed a three-year deal worth 100 million shekels (approximately $26 million today) with the Israeli government.

This contract, the largest of its kind at the time for the Israeli occupation, included the provision of an unlimited number of Microsoft products to the Israeli army and Ministry of Defense, along with extensive information sharing.

The relationship extends further into the Israeli occupation’s military surveillance infrastructure. Elite units like the 8200 Electronic Intelligence Unit have a history of creating startups focused on military applications, training personnel with the technical skills sought by companies like Microsoft.

Over the years, Microsoft has acquired several Israeli military startups, integrating their teams and technology.

Among these investments is AnyVision, a notable Israeli firm that provides surveillance cameras and facial recognition software used in the West Bank, contributing to the surveillance of Palestinians.

Microsoft’s acquisitions in Israeli cybersecurity are significant. The company purchased Aorato in 2014 for $200 million, Adallom in 2015 for $250 million, Hexadite in 2017 for $100 million, and CyberX in 2020 for $165 million.

These companies develop surveillance and espionage technologies that draw from and directly support the Israeli military’s technological capabilities.

These examples illustrate a broader and more profound cooperation between major technology firms and the Israeli government, particularly in ways that impact Palestinians.

Despite pledges from these companies to avoid using their technologies in conflict zones and human rights violations, their actions suggest otherwise.

The commitments made in public statements often seem hollow, overshadowed by their significant investments and collaborations in military technologies.

Tarnishing Image

Microsoft’s entanglement with militaries, police forces, and prisons worldwide, particularly its investments in Israeli settler colonialism, often goes unnoticed.

Former CEO Steve Ballmer once remarked that “Microsoft is as much an Israeli company as it is an American company.”

Bill Gates praised Israeli security developments, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the relationship a “marriage made in heaven.”

During the Second Intifada, as the Israeli occupation launched a deadly assault on the West Bank, Microsoft Israel expressed public support for Israeli security forces.

Following the devastation in Jenin, Microsoft Israel put up billboards thanking Israeli forces, which led to calls for a boycott. Despite distancing itself from the billboards, Microsoft continued to deepen its investments in Israeli state violence.

Microsoft’s relationship with the IDF extends to educational and entrepreneurial initiatives, including hackathons and app development for military use.

The company’s tools are integral to the Israeli military’s operations and propaganda efforts, such as controlling tanks with Xbox controllers and using HoloLens for battlefield applications.

Despite its public stance on social justice, Microsoft’s actions reveal a different story. The company’s support for AnyVision and similar firms underscores its commitment to state violence and colonialism.

Activist groups in Palestine and the U.S., like the Stop-the-Wall campaign and the Stop-LAPD-Spying Coalition, continue to expose how companies like Microsoft profit from and perpetuate state violence.

These groups advocate for defunding oppressive systems and investing in communities, highlighting the intersection of corporate power and state violence.