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title: Project Nimbus - Wikipedia
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> **Original source:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Nimbus?utm_source=openai

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

**Project Nimbus** ([Hebrew](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hebrew_language "Hebrew language"): פרויקט נימבוס) is a project by the American technology companies [Google](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google "Google") and [Amazon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amazon_\(company\) "Amazon (company)") providing the [Israeli government](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israeli_government "Israeli government") with technology services including infrastructure for [cloud computing](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloud_computing "Cloud computing"), [artificial intelligence](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artificial_intelligence "Artificial intelligence"), and other related services.[\[1\]](#cite_note-:02-1)[\[2\]](#cite_note-2)[\[3\]](#cite_note-3)[\[4\]](#cite_note-:42-4)

## Overview

The [Israeli Finance Ministry](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israeli_Finance_Minister "Israeli Finance Minister") announced in April 2021 that the contract is to provide "the government, the defense establishment, and others with an all-encompassing cloud solution."[\[1\]](#cite_note-:02-1) Through a $1.2 billion contract, [Google Cloud Platform](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Cloud_Platform "Google Cloud Platform") and [Amazon Web Services](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amazon_Web_Services "Amazon Web Services") are used to provide [Israeli](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israel "Israel") government agencies with [cloud computing](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloud_computing "Cloud computing") services, including [artificial intelligence](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artificial_intelligence "Artificial intelligence") and [machine learning](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machine_learning "Machine learning").[\[5\]](#cite_note-:12-5)[\[1\]](#cite_note-:02-1) Under the contract, Google and Amazon will establish local [cloud sites](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Server_farm "Server farm") that will "keep information within Israel's borders under strict security guidelines."[\[4\]](#cite_note-:42-4) According to a Google spokesperson, the contract is for workloads related to "finance, healthcare, transportation, and education" and does not deal with highly sensitive or classified information.[\[6\]](#cite_note-TIME-6) However, the [Israeli military](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israel_Defense_Forces "Israel Defense Forces") and defense apparatus have been stakeholders from the inception of the contract.[\[7\]](#cite_note-7) Moreover, the tech companies are contractually forbidden from denying service to any particular entities of the Israeli government, including its military.[\[8\]](#cite_note-:22-8)

Although Project Nimbus' specific mission has not yet been revealed, [Google Cloud Platform](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Cloud_Platform "Google Cloud Platform")'s AI tools could give the Israeli military and [security services](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israeli_Security_Agency "Israeli Security Agency") the capability for facial detection, automated image categorization, object tracking & sentiment analysis – tools that have previously been used by [U.S. Customs and Border Protection](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Customs_and_Border_Protection "U.S. Customs and Border Protection") for [border surveillance](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Border_surveillance "Border surveillance").[\[1\]](#cite_note-:02-1)

Project Nimbus has four planned phases: the first is purchasing and constructing the cloud infrastructure, the second is crafting government policy for moving operations onto the cloud, the third is moving operations to the cloud, and the fourth is implementing and optimizing cloud operations.[\[9\]](#cite_note-9)

The terms Israel set for the project contractually forbid Amazon and Google from halting services due to boycott pressure.[\[10\]](#cite_note-10)[\[8\]](#cite_note-:22-8) A Google spokesperson said that all Google Cloud customers must abide by its terms of service which prohibit customers from using its services to violate people's legal rights or engage in violence,[\[6\]](#cite_note-TIME-6) but internal documents from both Google and the Israeli government contradict this claim.[\[11\]](#cite_note-11) Furthermore, leaked documents from Google suggest that, even before the contract was signed, Google's lawyers were aware that Project Nimbus could be used to enable human rights violations in the [Gaza Strip](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaza_Strip "Gaza Strip") and elsewhere.[\[12\]](#cite_note-12) According to _The Guardian_, the agreements also contained a mechanism for the companies to secretly alert Israel if a country requested access to the Project Nimbus data.[\[13\]](#cite_note-13)

## Israeli–Palestinian conflict

Circa 2022, the contract drew rebuke and condemnation from the companies' shareholders as well as their employees, over concerns that the project would lead to further abuses of [Palestinians](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palestinians "Palestinians")' human rights in the context of the ongoing [occupation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israeli_occupation_of_the_West_Bank "Israeli occupation of the West Bank") and the [Israeli–Palestinian conflict](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israeli%E2%80%93Palestinian_conflict "Israeli–Palestinian conflict").[\[14\]](#cite_note-14)[\[15\]](#cite_note-15)[\[16\]](#cite_note-:32-16) Specifically, they criticized how they believed the technology could increase [surveillance](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mass_surveillance "Mass surveillance") of Palestinians, expand [data collection](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data_collection "Data collection") practices, and assist in the expansion of [Israeli settlements](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israeli_settlement "Israeli settlement") in the [West Bank](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Bank "West Bank").[\[16\]](#cite_note-:32-16)

Ariel Koren, who had worked as a marketing manager for Google's educational products and was an outspoken opponent of the project, was given the ultimatum of moving to [São Paulo](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S%C3%A3o_Paulo "São Paulo") within 17 days or losing her job.[\[5\]](#cite_note-:12-5)[\[17\]](#cite_note-17) In a letter announcing her resignation to her colleagues, Koren stated that she believed the relocation requirement was in response to her advocacy against the project.[\[5\]](#cite_note-:12-5) She filed retaliation complaints with Google's human resources department and the [National Labor Relations Board](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Labor_Relations_Board "National Labor Relations Board") (NLRB), which dismissed her case based on lack of evidence.[\[5\]](#cite_note-:12-5)

In 2022, [Jewish Voice for Peace](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewish_Voice_for_Peace "Jewish Voice for Peace") and MPower Change launched a campaign called [No Tech for Apartheid](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_Tech_for_Apartheid "No Tech for Apartheid") – also known as #NoTechForApartheid – opposing the project.[\[18\]](#cite_note-jpost-18)[\[19\]](#cite_note-19) More than 200 Google workers joined a protest group named after this campaign, who argue that the relative lack of oversight for the project mean it will likely be used for Israel's war against [Hamas](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamas "Hamas").[\[6\]](#cite_note-TIME-6)

In March 2024, a Google Cloud software engineer was fired after a video of them shouting "I refuse to build technology that empowers genocide", in reference to Project Nimbus, at a company event went viral.[\[20\]](#cite_note-20) In April, dozens of employees participated in [sit-ins](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sit-ins "Sit-ins") at Google's New York & Sunnyvale Headquarters to protest against Google supplying cloud computing software to the Israeli government. Employees occupied the office of Google Cloud chief executive [Thomas Kurian](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Kurian "Thomas Kurian"). Nine employees were charged with trespassing and 28 were fired.[\[21\]](#cite_note-nytimes2-21) Further terminations brought the total of related staff cuts to 50.[\[22\]](#cite_note-22)

In April, former Google employees fired for protesting with #NoTechForApartheid, citing an article in _[+972 Magazine](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/+972_Magazine "+972 Magazine")_,[\[23\]](#cite_note-23) expressed concerns over Israel's current use of [AI-assisted targeting in the Gaza Strip](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AI-assisted_targeting_in_the_Gaza_Strip "AI-assisted targeting in the Gaza Strip"): a program named "The Gospel" categorizes buildings as military bases, while programs called "Lavender" and "Where's Daddy" identify and falsely classify Palestinian civilians as "terrorists" and track their movements for target selection.[\[24\]](#cite_note-24)

In December 2024, a _[New York Times](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_Times "New York Times")_ article reported that Google lawyers were worried that "Google Cloud services could be used for, or linked to, the facilitation of human rights violations, including Israeli activity in the West Bank" at least as early as four months before the Nimbus contract was signed.[\[25\]](#cite_note-25)

## See also

-   [List of companies involved in the Gaza war](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_companies_involved_in_the_Gaza_war "List of companies involved in the Gaza war")

## References

1.  [1](#cite_ref-:02_1-0) [2](#cite_ref-:02_1-1) [3](#cite_ref-:02_1-2) [4](#cite_ref-:02_1-3) Biddle, Sam (July 24, 2022). ["Documents Reveal Advanced AI Tools Google Is Selling to Israel"](https://theintercept.com/2022/07/24/google-israel-artificial-intelligence-project-nimbus/). _The Intercept_. Retrieved August 30, 2022.
2.  [↑](#cite_ref-2) Ziv, Amitai. ["Israel Picks Google, Amazon for Massive Official Cloud; 'Data Will Remain Here'"](https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/tech-news/2021-04-21/ty-article/israel-picks-google-amazon-for-official-state-cloud/0000017f-e896-dc91-a17f-fc9fd1ce0000). _Haaretz_. Retrieved September 7, 2022.
3.  [↑](#cite_ref-3) Ziv, Amitai. ["Microsoft to Launch Much Awaited Cloud Server Farm in Israel in 2021"](https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/business/2020-01-23/ty-article/.premium/microsoft-to-launch-much-awaited-cloud-server-farm-in-israel-in-2021/0000017f-e088-d75c-a7ff-fc8d3d0b0000). _Haaretz_. Retrieved September 7, 2022.
4.  [1](#cite_ref-:42_4-0) [2](#cite_ref-:42_4-1) Scheer, Steven (April 21, 2021). ["Israel picks Amazon's AWS, Google for flagship cloud project"](https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israel-picks-amazons-aws-google-flagship-cloud-project-2021-04-21/). _Reuters_. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
5.  [1](#cite_ref-:12_5-0) [2](#cite_ref-:12_5-1) [3](#cite_ref-:12_5-2) [4](#cite_ref-:12_5-3) Grant, Nico (August 30, 2022). ["Google Employee Who Played Key Role in Protest of Contract With Israel Quits"](https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/30/technology/google-employee-israel.html). _The New York Times_. [ISSN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISSN_\(identifier\) "ISSN (identifier)") [0362-4331](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0362-4331). Retrieved August 30, 2022.
6.  [1](#cite_ref-TIME_6-0) [2](#cite_ref-TIME_6-1) [3](#cite_ref-TIME_6-2) Perrigo, Billy (April 8, 2024). ["Exclusive: Google Workers Revolt Over $1.2 Billion Israel Contract"](https://time.com/6964364/exclusive-no-tech-for-apartheid-google-workers-protest-project-nimbus-1-2-billion-contract-with-israel/). _TIME_. Retrieved April 19, 2024.
7.  [↑](#cite_ref-7) ["We are Google and Amazon workers. We condemn Project Nimbus"](https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/oct/12/google-amazon-workers-condemn-project-nimbus-israeli-military-contract). _The Guardian_. October 12, 2021. [ISSN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISSN_\(identifier\) "ISSN (identifier)") [0261-3077](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0261-3077). Retrieved October 13, 2025.
8.  [1](#cite_ref-:22_8-0) [2](#cite_ref-:22_8-1) Swinhoe, Dan (May 25, 2021). ["Israel Government says AWS and Google can't boycott Nimbus Project"](https://www.datacenterdynamics.com/en/news/israel-government-says-aws-and-google-cant-boycott-nimbus-project/). _www.datacenterdynamics.com_. Retrieved August 30, 2022.
9.  [↑](#cite_ref-9) Stub, Zev (May 25, 2021). ["Amazon, Google to employ thousands in Israel for massive Nimbus project"](https://www.jpost.com/jpost-tech/amazon-google-to-employ-thousands-in-israel-for-massive-nimbus-project-669108). _[The Jerusalem Post](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Jerusalem_Post "The Jerusalem Post")_. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
10.  [↑](#cite_ref-10) Chua, Charmaine; Alimahomed-Wilson, Jake; Potiker, Spencer Louis (June 22, 2021). ["Amazon's Investments in Israel Reveal Complicity in Settlements and Military Operations"](https://www.thenation.com/article/economy/amazon-prime-day-israel/). [ISSN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISSN_\(identifier\) "ISSN (identifier)") [0027-8378](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0027-8378). Retrieved August 30, 2022.
11.  [↑](#cite_ref-11) Biddle, Sam (December 3, 2024). ["Documents Contradict Google's Claims About Its Project Nimbus Contract With Israel"](https://theintercept.com/2024/12/02/google-project-nimbus-ai-israel/). _The Intercept_. Retrieved December 11, 2024.
12.  [↑](#cite_ref-12) Biddle, Sam (May 12, 2025). ["Google Worried It Couldn't Control How Israel Uses Project Nimbus, Files Reveal"](https://theintercept.com/2025/05/12/google-nimbus-israel-military-ai-human-rights/). _The Intercept_. Retrieved October 13, 2025.
13.  [↑](#cite_ref-13) Davies, Harry; Abraham, Yuval (October 29, 2025). ["Revealed: Israel demanded Google and Amazon use secret 'wink' to sidestep legal orders"](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/oct/29/google-amazon-israel-contract-secret-code). _The Guardian_. Retrieved November 6, 2025.
14.  [↑](#cite_ref-14) Biddle, Sam (May 18, 2022). ["Google and Amazon Face Shareholder Revolt Over Israeli Defense Work"](https://theintercept.com/2022/05/18/google-amazon-israel-military-nimbus/). _The Intercept_. Retrieved August 30, 2022.
15.  [↑](#cite_ref-15) ["Google, Amazon shareholders to oppose Israeli Project Nimbus"](https://english.alaraby.co.uk/news/google-amazon-shareholders-oppose-israeli-project-nimbus). _The New Arab_. May 19, 2022. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
16.  [1](#cite_ref-:32_16-0) [2](#cite_ref-:32_16-1) Anonymous (October 12, 2021). ["We are Google and Amazon workers. We condemn Project Nimbus"](https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/oct/12/google-amazon-workers-condemn-project-nimbus-israeli-military-contract). _The Guardian_. Retrieved August 30, 2022.
17.  [↑](#cite_ref-17) ["A worker objected to Google's Israel military contract. Google told her to move to Brazil"](https://www.latimes.com/business/technology/story/2022-03-15/google-project-nimbus-ariel-koren). _Los Angeles Times_. March 15, 2022. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
18.  [↑](#cite_ref-jpost_18-0) Starr, Michael (August 31, 2022). ["Jewish Google employee quits citing retaliation over BDS efforts"](https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/article-715990). _The Jerusalem Post_. Retrieved November 12, 2023.
19.  [↑](#cite_ref-19) Abdelnour, Samer (February 2023). ["Making a Killing: Israel's Military-Innovation Ecosystem and the Globalization of Violence"](https://doi.org/10.1177%2F01708406221131938). _Organization Studies_. **44** (2): 333–337\. [doi](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doi_\(identifier\) "Doi (identifier)"):[10.1177/01708406221131938](https://doi.org/10.1177%2F01708406221131938). [hdl](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hdl_\(identifier\) "Hdl (identifier)"):[20.500.11820/952bd5ef-b740-4430-a3a8-06187e97bffb](https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11820%2F952bd5ef-b740-4430-a3a8-06187e97bffb). [ISSN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISSN_\(identifier\) "ISSN (identifier)") [0170-8406](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0170-8406).
20.  [↑](#cite_ref-20) ["Google fires employee after pro-Palestine protest at Israeli tech conference in NYC"](https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/war-gaza-google-fires-employee-after-pro-palestine-protest-israeli-tech-conference). _Middle East Eye_. March 8, 2024. Retrieved March 11, 2024.
21.  [↑](#cite_ref-nytimes2_21-0) Grant, Nico (April 18, 2024). ["Google Fires 28 Employees Who Protested an Israeli Cloud Contract"](https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/18/technology/google-firing-israeli-cloud-contract.html). _[The New York Times](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_New_York_Times "The New York Times")_. Retrieved April 19, 2024.`{{[cite news](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_news "Template:Cite news")}}`: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_deprecated_archival_service "Category:CS1 maint: deprecated archival service"))
22.  [↑](#cite_ref-22) Thorbecke, Catherine (April 23, 2024). ["Google has fired 50 employees after protests over Israel cloud deal, organizers say"](https://www.cnn.com/2024/04/23/tech/google-fires-employees-protest-israel/index.html). CNN. Retrieved February 16, 2025.
23.  [↑](#cite_ref-23) Iraqi, Amjad (April 3, 2024). ["'Lavender': The AI machine directing Israel's bombing spree in Gaza"](https://www.972mag.com/lavender-ai-israeli-army-gaza/). _+972 Magazine_. Retrieved December 11, 2024.
24.  [↑](#cite_ref-24) Khatami, Mohammad; Montes, Zelda; Sim, and Kate (April 29, 2024). ["Google Fired Us for Protesting Its Complicity in the War on Gaza. But We Won't Be Silenced"](https://www.thenation.com/article/activism/google-firings-gaza-project-nimbus/). [ISSN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISSN_\(identifier\) "ISSN (identifier)") [0027-8378](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0027-8378). Retrieved December 11, 2024.
25.  [↑](#cite_ref-25) Grant, Nico (December 3, 2024). ["Google Worried Israeli Contract Could Enable Human Rights Violations"](https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/03/technology/google-israel-contract-project-nimbus.html). _[The New York Times](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_New_York_Times "The New York Times")_. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20241203165244/https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/03/technology/google-israel-contract-project-nimbus.html) from the original on December 3, 2024. Retrieved December 3, 2024.