Pro-Palestine activists protest at Microsoft's site in the Netherlands over Israeli military data

Microsoft has been facing the heat of pro-Palestine protestors in recent years. Now, protesters have targeted a Microsoft data center in the Netherlands over alleged Israeli military data storage.

According to an investigative report by The Guardian, Israel’s Unit 8200 has stored 11,500 terabytes of intercepted Palestinian communications. That amount equals roughly 200 million hours of audio, kept on Microsoft’s Azure servers in North Holland province.

On Sunday, activists from the group Geef Tegengas reportedly scaled the facility’s roof and lit red flares. Others blocked entrances, demanding employees halt operations until the data is removed from the company’s servers.

Not to forget, The Guardian’s investigation, with +972 Magazine and Local Call, revealed that the data comes from military surveillance operations. The report prompted Dutch lawmakers to question whether the information could enable human rights violations in Gaza.

The country’s Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp promised an investigation and warned legal action could follow if laws were broken. Meanwhile, Microsoft has denied knowing the content of the stored data or supporting any surveillance of civilians.

The Israeli military insisted the partnership follows legal agreements and complies with international law to fight terrorism. The Guardian also reported Microsoft executives are urgently reviewing the arrangement amid fears of withheld internal disclosures.