Antony Loewenstein's Blog, page 15
January 28, 2025
Big Tech is essential for Israel’s war machine
My latest essay in the UK outlet, Middle East Eye:
Israel could not fight its wars of conquest without a host of foreign players supporting, arming and funding it.
From Washington and Berlin sending billions of dollars of weapons to Israel since 7 October 2023, to diplomatic backing at the United Nations, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has enjoyed an unparalleled level of tangible endorsement during his nation’s mission of annihilation in Gaza and beyond.
What’s far less understood and scrutinised is the extent of corporate interests behind the Israeli war machine.
While it’s widely known that countless Israeli defence and surveillance companies are integral to the country’s military, from Elbit Systems to Israel Aerospace Industries, fewer people know that some of the world’s biggest tech companies – including Google, Microsoft and Amazon – are deeply enmeshed with the Israeli army.
In a recent investigation, The Washington Post revealed that Google “rushed to sell” artificial intelligence (AI) tools to Israel soon after the Hamas attack on 7 October 2023 because it feared losing business to its rival, Amazon.
Although the Post didn’t confirm how Israel was using these tools, it’s clear that Israel has utilised enhanced AI in its mass killing campaignin Gaza over the past 15 months.
Another story published this month by +972 Magazine details the extensive collaboration between Microsoft and the Israeli military, both before and after 7 October 2023. It outlines how the corporation’s cloud services were used by units in the naval, ground and air forces, along with the intelligence gathering branch, Unit 8200 – all as Israel was committing genocide and war crimes on an unprecedented scale.
Read the whole piece: Israel’s use of AI in Gaza is a terrifying model coming to a country near you | Middle East Eye
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January 26, 2025
The Palestine Laboratory documentary episode 1 trailer
The world exclusive new trailer for episode 1 of my forthcoming Al Jazeera English documentary series, The Palestine Laboratory, made with the extraordinary UK production company Black Leaf Films. It’s directed by the wonderful Dan Davies.
This episode, filmed across Israel and Palestine in 2024, features a detailed investigation into the ways in which Israel views Palestinians as guinea pigs to test new weapons and surveillance tech. These tools are then marketed and sold globally for ever-increasing profits from Vietnam to Serbia.
We have new facts and insights on this timely subject. It will shock many of you especially in light of Israel’s war of annihilation in Gaza (which we examine).
The 2-part series begins on 30 January 2025 (and continues on 6 February). It’ll be available on the Al Jazeera website and YouTube (for free).
The film is adapted from my global bestselling book of the same name.
Thanks to all the brave souls, especially in occupied Palestine, who worked on this film under such challenging circumstances in a time of war.
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January 20, 2025
Muslim World Book Review on the Palestine laboratory
The UK-based Muslim World Book Review has published a long review of many Palestine-related books, including my title, The Palestine Laboratory, and includes this line:
Antony Loewenstein provides answers in The Palestine Laboratory which is arguably the most important of the books under review in terms of trying to make sense of the injustice that one is seeing daily.
Read the whole article: review article
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January 17, 2025
Al Jazeera English interview on emerging from mass destruction in Gaza
My Al Jazeera English interview on a welcome ceasefire between Hamas and Israel and Netanyahu’s futile war in Gaza.
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January 16, 2025
10 News First TV interview on Gaza ceasefire
My interview with 10 News First about a ceasefire in Gaza, grim Israeli plans in the West Bank and US elite love for kleptocracy.
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The Palestine Laboratory documentary series is here
This is the first promo/teaser for my forthcoming documentary film series, The Palestine Laboratory, made with the great UK production company Black Leaf Films and released on Al Jazeera English.
Episode 1 is broadcast on 30th January, 2025, with Episode 2 following at the same time on the 6th February. Both episodes will be available on Al Jazeera’s website and YouTube (for free and complete global access).
The Palestine Laboratory is a ground-breaking two-part series (2 x 47 mins) that’s based on my global best-selling book of the same name.
In Part 1, in Israel and Palestine, I examine how the country positions itself as a world leader in hi-tech weapons and surveillance technology, with glossy promotions from the top weapons manufactures that boast their products have been “tested” and “proven” in “battle”.
Hearing from both Israelis and Palestinians, I explore how the industry understands what labels like “tested” in Palestine means and how the military intelligence Unit 8200 acts as an incubator for Israeli surveillance tech start ups. I also examines Israel’s use of AI targeting systems in Gaza.
In Part 2, the investigation takes me on an international journey through Europe, India, Mexico, South Africa and the USA as I reveal how this “technology of occupation” is also used to subjugate people and surveil political dissidents, human rights defenders and journalists all over the world.
This has been a massive, worldwide investigation, initiated in 2022 before my book was even released (though it was all filmed in 2024), with a huge team of remarkable researchers, producers, photographers, journalists and cinematographers. Most can’t be named due to legitimate fears for their safety and future work opportunities. I thank them all for their dedication and commitment to getting this timely story out.
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January 15, 2025
TRT World interview on Gaza’s precarious future
My interview on global broadcaster TRT World about the likely future for Gaza and all of Palestine.
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CNN interview on the politics of a Gaza ceasefire
My interview on CNN about a ceasefire in Gaza and Israeli war crimes.
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January 8, 2025
BookTok embraces The Palestine laboratory
BookTok is a massive subculture within TikTok that supports and discusses books of all stripes.
The popular account, Schizophrenicreads, regularly discusses non-fiction books and he chose my book, The Palestine Laboratory, as one of his best in 2024:
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Nathan Shuherk (@schizophrenicreads)
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Middle East Monitor delves into the Palestine lab post mass slaughter in Gaza
My interview with the UK-based media outlet, Middle East Monitor, about my book, The Palestine Laboratory.
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