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Monday, Jan 27, 2025
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Leaked Documents Reveal Google's Collaboration with Israeli Defense Forces During Gaza Conflict
Internal documents show Google's provision of advanced AI technologies to the IDF despite employee protests and dismissals.
Leaked internal documents obtained by The Washington Post reveal that Google provided access to advanced artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) during the Gaza conflict that began in October 2023. The documents highlight direct collaboration between Google’s cloud division and the IDF, despite the company’s public statements claiming its technology was meant for civilian government use only.
The collaboration stems from the 'Nimbus' contract, signed in 2021, worth $1.2 billion.
This initiative aimed to modernize Israeli government operations through advanced cloud services, including data storage and AI capabilities.
As part of the deal, Google and Amazon committed to establishing local data centers in Israel to ensure data remained within the country under strict security protocols.
While Google has publicly stated that the contract was not intended for sensitive or classified military uses, the documents reveal that following Hamas's attacks, Google employees worked on requests from the IDF to access advanced AI tools.
Among these was Vertex AI, a platform enabling data analysis and the deployment of custom AI algorithms.
The documents also indicate that the Israeli Ministry of Defense urged Google to expedite the availability of its services, cautioning that delays could lead them to seek similar capabilities from Amazon, which is also a partner in the Nimbus project.
Google’s involvement in military applications has sparked internal opposition.
In April 2024, 28 employees were reportedly dismissed after participating in protests against the company’s role in the Nimbus project.
Protesters argued that the contract could be used to support military operations violating human rights.
In addition, more than 100 employees signed a letter to Google’s management urging a review of its partnership with the Israeli Ministry of Defense.
Despite repeated assertions by Google that Nimbus is intended only for civilian purposes, the leaked documents raise concerns about the extent of military applications supported by the company's technologies.
Google has maintained that all its cloud customers must adhere to its terms of service and acceptable use policies.
The company has yet to comment on the matter, but further updates will be provided as new information emerges.
The collaboration stems from the 'Nimbus' contract, signed in 2021, worth $1.2 billion.
This initiative aimed to modernize Israeli government operations through advanced cloud services, including data storage and AI capabilities.
As part of the deal, Google and Amazon committed to establishing local data centers in Israel to ensure data remained within the country under strict security protocols.
While Google has publicly stated that the contract was not intended for sensitive or classified military uses, the documents reveal that following Hamas's attacks, Google employees worked on requests from the IDF to access advanced AI tools.
Among these was Vertex AI, a platform enabling data analysis and the deployment of custom AI algorithms.
The documents also indicate that the Israeli Ministry of Defense urged Google to expedite the availability of its services, cautioning that delays could lead them to seek similar capabilities from Amazon, which is also a partner in the Nimbus project.
Google’s involvement in military applications has sparked internal opposition.
In April 2024, 28 employees were reportedly dismissed after participating in protests against the company’s role in the Nimbus project.
Protesters argued that the contract could be used to support military operations violating human rights.
In addition, more than 100 employees signed a letter to Google’s management urging a review of its partnership with the Israeli Ministry of Defense.
Despite repeated assertions by Google that Nimbus is intended only for civilian purposes, the leaked documents raise concerns about the extent of military applications supported by the company's technologies.
Google has maintained that all its cloud customers must adhere to its terms of service and acceptable use policies.
The company has yet to comment on the matter, but further updates will be provided as new information emerges.
