International Revealed: Israel demanded Google and Amazon use secret ‘wink’ to sidestep legal orders

[Koya]

Revealed: Israel demanded Google and Amazon use secret ‘wink’ to sidestep legal orders​

Israeli officials invented a requirement for the companies to send coded messages to its government revealing the identities of the countries they had been compelled to hand over Israeli data to, but were gagged from saying so. Composite: Rita Liu/The Guardian/Getty Images


The tech giants agreed to extraordinary terms to clinch a lucrative contract with the Israeli government, documents show
When Google and Amazon negotiated a major $1.2bn cloud-computing deal in 2021, their customer – the Israeli government – had an unusual demand: agree to use a secret code as part of an arrangement that would become known as the “winking mechanism”.

Summary of the article :

Leaked documents reveal that Israel required Google and Amazon to accept a secret “winking mechanism” as part of their $1.2 billion Project Nimbus cloud-computing contract signed in 2021.

1. The secret “winking” system​

• Israel feared that foreign governments could legally compel Google or Amazon to hand over Israeli data stored in their clouds.
• Because the companies are often gagged by court orders and cannot inform clients about such disclosures, Israel devised a coded payment system.
• If either company was forced to hand over Israeli data to another country, it had to secretly notify Israel by sending a payment matching that country’s phone dialing code (e.g., 1,000 shekels for the US, 3,900 for Italy).
• If they could not even reveal which country was involved, they had to send 100,000 shekels.
• Legal experts warned this could violate secrecy laws in the US and other jurisdictions.

2. Israel’s strict controls over the companies​

• The Nimbus contract forbids Google and Amazon from restricting or cutting off Israel’s access to their cloud services, even if used for human rights abuses or military surveillance.
• Israel inserted these clauses fearing that the companies could later bow to activist or shareholder pressure, or to foreign legal action, over Israel’s treatment of Palestinians.
• Essentially, Israel can use Google and Amazon’s technology without limitations, including for military and intelligence purposes.

3. Context and reactions​

• The deal contrasts with Microsoft, which lost the bid partly because it refused such conditions. Recently, Microsoft even cut off the Israeli military’s access to certain tools used for mass surveillance in Gaza.
• Both Google and Amazon deny any wrongdoing, saying they comply with all legal obligations and do not evade court orders.
• Israel’s finance ministry insists the claims are “baseless” and that the companies are bound by “stringent contractual obligations safeguarding Israel’s vital interests.”

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In short:
To secure Israel’s massive Nimbus cloud contract, Google and Amazon allegedly agreed to secretly signal when they hand over Israeli data to foreign authorities and to never restrict Israel’s cloud access, regardless of human rights or legal concerns.

Full article : https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/oct/29/google-amazon-israel-contract-secret-code

 

[Koya]

ChatGPT conclusions for those that would like something even shorter :

Leaked documents reveal that through its $1.2 billion Project Nimbus deal, Israel secured an exceptional level of control over Google and Amazon, effectively allowing it to override standard legal and ethical limits. The contract includes a secret “winking” system requiring the companies to secretly notify Israel—via coded payments—when compelled by foreign courts, including those in the US, to hand over Israeli data. This mechanism enables Israel to bypass gag orders and monitor foreign access to its information, giving it influence even over US legal processes. The agreement also forbids Google and Amazon from ever restricting Israel’s access to their cloud services, regardless of how the technology is used, underscoring Israel’s unusually strong grip over two of the world’s biggest tech giants.

 

[LeonardoBjj]

- Not surprised

 

[Rygu]

Classic jew-jitsu

 

[Kassitus]

Bezos is willing of course. Loyal to the tribe.

 

[PhitePhan]

Can we please cool it with the antisemitism?!

 

[Siver!]

Can we please cool it with the antisemitism?!

Serious or satire? I've lost track of who thinks what lol

 

[Natural Order]

Anti-semitic conspiracy theories, you say?

Funniest part is they're likely paying for it with American aid too. rofl

 

[Siver!]

The Nimbus contract forbids Google and Amazon from restricting or cutting off Israel’s access to their cloud services, even if used for human rights abuses or military surveillance.

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Gee, why would they need to do that...?

 

[Koya]

The Nimbus contract forbids Google and Amazon from restricting or cutting off Israel’s access to their cloud services, even if used for human rights abuses or military surveillance.

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Gee, why would they need to do that...?

It's almost as if they know they commit human right abuses and they are determined to continue. Almost yeah?

Anti-semitic conspiracy theories, you say?

Funniest part is they're likely paying for it with American aid too. rofl

AND the USA legal system get thrown to the gutter on top of that :

"When compelled by foreign courts, including those in the US, to hand over Israeli data. This mechanism enables Israel to bypass gag orders and monitor foreign access to its information, giving it influence even over US legal processes."

 

[BoomStronk]

Shocking. Unprecedented.

The fucking gall of Israel. Maybe instead of all the money and energy you're spending covering your asses from international condemnation, they could instead stop committing genocide.

The american tax dollars flooding Israel, which has a robust system of universal public health care, could then be returned to america which is a Healthcare shithole.

But, yhe mechanism enriching the already rich by redistributing tax dollars yo weapons contractors through the wholesale slaughter of women and children, must go on.

 

[Belaya Smert]

Probably kept them form killing even more journalist than they already are.

 

[Hog-train]

In other news, the Clause 856 A of the contract also stated it's ok for Israel to kill children.

 

[SurferH2O]

You'd think more countries would have that same deal.

I don't know the ethics of it all, but it's a smart move for preservation.

 

[PhitePhan]

You'd think more countries would have that same deal.

I don't know the ethics of it all, but it's a smart move for preservation.

I doubt other countries have the same type of blackmail programs targeting US politicians. THAT is the “smart move” on Israel’s part…

 

[Stoic1]

Israel is not our friend. I wish Republicans would figure this out.