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Microsoft blocks Israel’s use of its tech in mass surveillance of Palestinians

theguardian.com

561–570 of 894 posts

Re: Microsoft blocks Israel’s use of its tech in mass surveillance of Palestinians

#561

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Israel has a legitimate reason to want to try to intercept and detect terrorist activity, but given what they've been doing in Gaza for the past year and a half, they simply can't be trusted. They've lost all credibility and benefit of the doubt. So they can't expect other entities to help them do something they say is legitimate, because no one can trust them to do something in a legitimate and ethical way.

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It is obvious that Israel is committing genocide. They don't even try to hide it! Indeed they revel in their cruelty. [1]

This historian[2] argues that openly committing genocide is a feature, not a bug, because it will lead to anti-semitism that will make diaspora Jews feel unsafe and bind them to Israel.

[1]https://www.thecanary.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/snapins-... [2]https://youtu.be/sS9xidsyxXY?t=330

Re: Microsoft blocks Israel’s use of its tech in mass surveillance of Palestinians

#562
post #536

Earlier quoted context omitted.

At some point, when basically the entire world is saying one thing and only two countries (the US & Israel) are saying the opposite, you really need something strong to convince someone that basically the whole world is wrong. This is some lame right-wing outlet whose front page contains things like: >The assessment, shared exclusively with the Free Beacon, follows mainstream media claims that cuts to global health f…

I see the war in radically different terms than you. It's not a battle between who has the better historical claim to the land. It's a religious battle. It's a battle between radical Islam and the secular west. For a fuller treatment of the defense of Israel from a secular view point. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38926431-what-justice-de... I'm grateful that what little good pieces are left in the American rig…

At least you're honest. This is why the vast majority of Westerners support Israel, its colonialism and its right to kill as many brown people as they can, they just don't say it out loud.

Re: Microsoft blocks Israel’s use of its tech in mass surveillance of Palestinians

#563
post #97

The issue that people have with Israel's actions is the death of civilians, not the death of Hamas, the widely recognised terrorist. I believe it also to be true that the IDF do not want to kill civilians, and that their target is only Hamas. In which case, is it prudent to remove the IDF's ability to successfully target the correct people? Precise military intelligence is absolutely necessary for minimising civilian…

It is a genocide. They are targeting civilians.

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Re: Microsoft blocks Israel’s use of its tech in mass surveillance of Palestinians

#564

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It is not a lie. It is so extreme that it has merited its own Wikipedia page [0], but don't trust that, read the citations. Leaders[1] statements[2] have been chronicled calling for genocide. It is happening in both word and action. Resisting an occupying force is not genocide. [1] https://amnesty.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Amnesty-Intern... [2] https://web.archive.org/web/20250916081026/https://www.ohchr... [0] h…

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You're right, Gaza was not occupied. It was an open-air prison where people are not allowed to enter or leave, aid was severely restricted, and the IDF adopted a policy of "mowing the grass" which was to cull the population periodically. That's worse, but I'm not sure that's the point you were trying to make.

And if you're only other point is to accuse me of something I never said about an event that was debunked several times, whereas the actual kidnapping and burning of Palestinian babies, women, children, and men is well documented and still ongoing, I think that's all we need to know.

Re: Microsoft blocks Israel’s use of its tech in mass surveillance of Palestinians

#565
post #97

The issue that people have with Israel's actions is the death of civilians, not the death of Hamas, the widely recognised terrorist. I believe it also to be true that the IDF do not want to kill civilians, and that their target is only Hamas. In which case, is it prudent to remove the IDF's ability to successfully target the correct people? Precise military intelligence is absolutely necessary for minimising civilian…

Inconvenient truth is that anyone who remained in Gaza, in active IDF ops area, is not a civilian. Civilians left these areas, or at least asked to leave many, many times. Unless it's a little child that's not capable of lifting a firearm, this person is Hamas at this point. If you have better way to differentiate, I will happily pass it to IDF. Don't forget to mention about the last time you risked your own life.

>Civilians left these areas, or at least asked to leave many, many times.

Where to?

Hind Rajab ,literally a child, was brutally killed when fleeing their home, after being asked of course. The ambulance which came to rescue was blown up by the ITF. The Whole world has seen it all, ITF proudly displays it. Maybe it is time to update the Hasbara points.

>Don't forget to mention about the last time you risked your own life.

Why? ITF certainly risks many children's life, just for sport often.

Re: Microsoft blocks Israel’s use of its tech in mass surveillance of Palestinians

#566
post #97

The issue that people have with Israel's actions is the death of civilians, not the death of Hamas, the widely recognised terrorist. I believe it also to be true that the IDF do not want to kill civilians, and that their target is only Hamas. In which case, is it prudent to remove the IDF's ability to successfully target the correct people? Precise military intelligence is absolutely necessary for minimising civilian…

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Well, I guess it would be equally unpopular to the Israelis to hear that the global majority and the Palestinians consider Israel as oppressors and occupiers, and Hamas as freedom fighters. And as one man's freedom fighter is another man's terrorist, it also brings focus into another interesting point - only certain western countries have designated Hamas as terrorists, while the rest of the world doesn't agree with that designation because, well Israel is a settler-occupier. Leave Hamas aside - is anyone here, whatever be your nationality, surprised that every Palestinian (including those in West Bank) is ready to fight (violently or non-violently) for their freedom, for their independence, when the Israelis are hell bent on oppressing them (by treating them as second class citizens), killing them or chasing them away from their homeland?

Remember, Israel has already colonised all of Palestine, for many decades now. They have the choice to integrate the Palestinians into their society, and make them equal citizens. Instead, they chose not to, because the religious fundamentalists right-wing in Israel, who have captured power of all Israeli institutions, don't want a secular state - they want Jewish state with a Jewish majority. That is why Israel chose to create an Apartheid society where the Palestinians are treated as worse than second-class citizens, to make them react violently and use that as an excuse to steal more of their land. That is why this genocide is happening under the Israeli-right - to turn the Palestinians into a small minority group that will not be a threat to a future "Jewish" state.

Re: Microsoft blocks Israel’s use of its tech in mass surveillance of Palestinians

#567

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How do you think Israel was formed in the first place? Or is your comment intentionally ironic?

Israel was not formed by displacement. That's a common misconception. Jews bought lands all across Palestine in early 1900's, with bodies such as the JNF. The displacement ("Nakba") came in 1948, during the Israeli War of Independence (started by the Arabs in Palestine and abroad), and even that mostly concerned areas which participated in the war. Areas that remained peaceful integrated into Israel (today's Israeli…

It wasn't started by the Palestinians. Israelis conduced ethnic cleansing operations against civilians to displace them, including biowarfare and well poisoning. It continues today, in Gaza and in the West Bank.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Cast_Thy_Bread https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palestinian_expulsion_from_L...

Re: Microsoft blocks Israel’s use of its tech in mass surveillance of Palestinians

#568

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The classic "an effective protest is one that is neither seen nor heard". Which is just ahistorical. Civil rights in the US was not passed because black folks explained to white people that they are people deserving the same rights as them. I hate this white washing of history as a series of peaceful movements that everyone agreed with.

There is nothing wrong with being seen or heard. Instead it is that being violently disruptive tends to lose you support. You are posing a false dilemma where the only thing a person can do to voice there opinion is to destroy or disrupt things. That's not true though. Instead you can simply voice your options. You can put out manifestos, publish articles in the newspaper, post to social media, or even talk to people…

If you think being violently disruptive loses you support you should look at any equality movement. I'm not posing a false dilemma, I'm saying that when peaceful means are not working then violence will follow. "A riot is the language of the unheard".

The idea that everyone can just be convinced with a good argument is a nice fantasy but just never true in reality. You've also rigged the game since you can just dig in your heels are refuse any argument and just say "get better arguments". It's a situation no one else can win. If people could so easily be convinced that different people deserve the same rights then we wouldn't have had to spend over a century trying to get them.

Re: Microsoft blocks Israel’s use of its tech in mass surveillance of Palestinians

#569

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It is a genocide. They are targeting civilians.

Proof? Or just what is convenient for you to believe? If anything, quite the opposite. Think about this logically - why the need for expensive surveillance if your chief goal was to annihilate a population?

>why the need for expensive surveillance if your chief goal was to annihilate a population

A question suited for ITF and Netanyahu maybe? Ask them spend less. He gets to prolong this Genocide, then he gets to stay out of trial for his previous crimes. Maybe ITF is not in a hurry.

Re: Microsoft blocks Israel’s use of its tech in mass surveillance of Palestinians

#570

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The word genocide has a legal definition, it’s not up for discussion or debate. What is happening in Gaza is a genocide according to genocide scholars.

If you're referring to the "International Association of Genocide Scholars" (IAGS), all it takes to join that organization is $30 and self identifying as a genocide scholar. Furthermore the resolution was passed with a total of 129 voting members, and about 107 voting in favor, out of over 500 total members. Here's a letter from 514 verified scholars and legal experts calling on IAGS to retract their resolution, alon…

> If you're referring to the "International Association of Genocide Scholars" (IAGS), all it takes to join that organization is $30 and self identifying as a genocide scholar.

They have certainly had some interesting members[0].

[0] https://archive.ph/J52WH

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