Internal Documents Detail Amazon's Cloud and AI Services for Israeli Weapons Manufacturers Rafael and IAI

Internal documents obtained by journalist Sam Biddle and reported by The Intercept reveal that Amazon has been providing cloud computing and artificial intelligence (AI) services to state-owned Israeli weapons manufacturers, Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI). These services were reportedly supplied during 2024 and 2025, periods marked by extensive military operations in Gaza. The findings highlight Amazon's continued involvement with Israel's defense sector through the controversial Project Nimbus contract.Amazon Web Services (AWS) has furnished the Israeli government, including its military and intelligence agencies, with a suite of data processing and storage services since 2021 as part of Project Nimbus, a $1.2 billion cloud computing contract. The internal materials indicate that Rafael purchased AI technologies, including the advanced large language model Claude, made available through AWS Bedrock. Additionally, the Israeli Ministry of Defense acquired access to Amazon Rekognition, a facial recognition tool, for an open-source intelligence project.Rafael and IAI are key components of Israel's defense industry, manufacturing a diverse arsenal including missiles, bombs, and drones. Rafael's SPICE guidance kits and Spike missiles, along with IAI's Heron drones, have been extensively used in the Gaza conflict. Weapons experts, such as retired Air Force operator Wes Bryant, describe both companies as "highly integral to Israel’s defense industrial complex" and implicated in civilian casualties.Amazon maintains broad commitments to international human rights, stating it assesses and addresses adverse human rights impacts. However, the company declined to comment on whether it conducted human rights impact assessments regarding its services to these weapons manufacturers. The documents also show Amazon offered discounted rates to the Israeli Ministry of Defense and lobbied to handle classified material from Israel's defense and intelligence community.