In April 16, 2024, Google employees were actively protesting against the company's cloud contract with Israel, known as “Project Nimbus,” which is a $1.2 billion collaboration with Amazon to provide cloud services to the Israeli government and military. The protests intensified following the escalation of violence in Gaza after October 7, 2023.

Employees staged sit-ins at Google offices in New York and Sunnyvale, California. These protests were organized by the activist group “No Tech for Apartheid,” which has gained traction among tech workers concerned about their company's involvement in military operations. The protests included demands for transparency regarding how Google’s technologies are used and calls for the cancellation of Project Nimbus.

When Google sided with Israel over its own employees and Palestine 

Project Nimbus is a significant cloud computing initiative launched by the Israeli government in collaboration with major technology companies Google and Amazon. Announced in April 2021, the project aimed at providing comprehensive cloud services to various sectors within Israel, including healthcare, education, and transportation. The primary goal is to establish local cloud infrastructure that adheres to strict security protocols, ensuring that sensitive data remains within Israeli borders.

It is reported that the cloud services will include advanced AI tools for tasks such as facial recognition, object tracking, and data analysis. These capabilities have raised concerns about their potential use in military operations and surveillance of Palestinian territories. Reports indicate that Project Nimbus plays a crucial role in supporting Israel's military operations, with claims that it could be used for enhanced surveillance and targeting during military engagements.

Israeli authorities have reportedly established a comprehensive facial recognition system aimed at monitoring Palestinians. This system employs various technologies, including those integrated into Google Photos, to identify and track individuals as they navigate through war zones. An anonymous Israeli official noted that Google Photos has proven effective in creating lists of suspected militants.

The Israeli military has developed extensive databases using facial recognition technologies like Red Wolf and Blue Wolf, which are designed to catalog Palestinian faces without their consent. These systems are deployed at checkpoints and other sensitive locations, where they can restrict movement based on biometric data. Reports from Amnesty International highlight how such systems contribute to a broader framework of surveillance that undermines the rights of Palestinians.

In response to the protests, Google terminated the employment of 28 employees initially involved in the sit-ins. This number later rose to 50, as additional firings were reported. Google justified these actions by stating that the employees had engaged in disruptive activities that violated company policies. However, the No Tech for Apartheid group claimed that some of those fired were merely bystanders and not directly involved in the protests.

In addition to surveillance concerns, there are significant issues regarding how Palestine is represented on platforms like Google Maps. Reports suggest that Palestine is often not identified on these maps, while Israel is clearly marked. This omission is viewed by many as a deliberate affront to the Palestinian identity and reinforces perceptions of occupation and marginalization.

Google Backs Israel in 'Google News'

By examining the Google News tool, which aggregates and allows customization of news based on country and language, Msms discovered that Israel has two versions of Google News — Hebrew and English — while Palestine lacks any versions in Arabic or English.

​​This allows for a broader range of news accessibility inside Israel. Users can customize their news feed to include content in both languages, enhancing their experience and engagement with diverse news sources. In contrast, this absence limits access to news for Palestine potentially affecting the dissemination of information within the region. The lack of a tailored news platform may hinder the visibility of Palestinian news on a global scale also. 

The differences in news availability can affect how information is disseminated and consumed. With more robust media tools, Israeli narratives may dominate global discourse, while Palestinian narratives might struggle to gain traction without adequate platforms.

Google Still Violates International Humanitarian Law With Generous Aid to Israel

Google's provision of separate news services for Israel (in Hebrew and English) but not for Palestine raises questions about media representation and bias. While this action may not directly violate international law, it can be interpreted as contributing to a narrative that marginalizes Palestinian perspectives and rights.

If Google's services are perceived to support or legitimize actions that violate human rights or contribute to ongoing war — such as providing platforms that facilitate military operations — this could be seen as complicity in violations of international humanitarian law. Such complicity would be more pronounced if Google were found to actively support entities involved in these violations.

The principles of international law emphasize the protection of human rights and the promotion of self-determination. If Google's actions are viewed as undermining these principles — by failing to provide equitable representation or by supporting narratives that contribute to conflict — it could be argued that they are acting contrary to the spirit of international law.

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