No Tech For Apartheid

Technology has the power to either expand freedoms or limit them. They promised expansions and global inclusion, but for Palestinians this has been a hollow promise, driven by politics. For example: Are you an Israeli living in the illegal settlements of the West Bank? This item on your Amazon wish list is on sale with a big reduction in pricing if you chose Palestine as your location. Don’t even bother trying this if you’re Palestinian - your package will never be delivered.

Meanwhile, Palestine is stuck with 3G networks (and Gaza is still on 2G), while the world, including Israel, is anticipating the possibilities of 5G. This leaves Palestinians with an underdeveloped and expensive connection, in direct contrast with the other side of the political fence. Silicon Valley’s tech giants show deliberate and systematic censorship of the Palestinian narrative, which borders on a denial of our very existence. These companies support a living apartheid.

I am a computer geek and to me, software and the latest gadgets are my whole world. But none of Google’s paid services are available in Palestine. So, if you are using Google Drive and want to purchase extra storage, you cannot do that in Palestine. If you own an Android device, you will not be able to purchase apps. But, Israelis, who live on the same piece of land, have the convenience of accessing all Google services.

Google signed a $1 billion contract with the Israeli government to provide its apartheid regime with cloud services for the Israeli military. This is the very same system that operates and controls the gates, cameras and barriers [at checkpoints] that add to Palestinians’ daily suffering. Not only has Google discriminated against my country, but it has also gone a step further by partnering with the militarised Israeli state.

In December 2019, Facebook deleted my account. Supposedly, my perspective, interests, and lived experiences violate their community standards, and I lost precious old memories that connected me with acquaintances and friends. What’s worse, according to the Commission of Detainees Affair, in 2018 Israeli forces arrested more than 350 Palestinians because of their posts on social media platforms.

The severe restrictions on Palestinian content on social media platforms come from the economic contracts between Israel and international corporations. Israel continues its apartheid system toward the Palestinians even in the virtual world. These high-tech mediums provided by international corporations enable Israel to violate and access sensitive information about Palestinians. Google and Amazonhave agreed to provide cloud services to Israel which contribute to the strengthening of Israeli digital control of cyberspace. But Israel can only continue to grab Palestinian land, break international laws, and violate Palestinian human rights if it is not held accountable by the international community.

I can only experience Palestine in the news, in pictures and videos, and through texting my friends in Gaza. It’s a painful experience, to watch your people’s oppression daily, unable to do anything. I spent most of May by the phone making sure my friend was still alive during the Gaza bombardments. What happened to Palestine is a perfect example of how technology can take a dystopian turn in the oppressor’s hands. And now Google and Amazon signed a $1.2 billion contract with the Israeli government, which will enable it to maintain and strengthen its apartheid and occupation.

Travelling has always been a luxury for my generation, a fantasy we can only imagine and dream about. Instead, we are forced to communicate with our own people through digital screens only, no actual eye contact, no real gatherings, just virtual ones. I have an aunt who lives in Egypt, and I barely remember what she looks like. When my grandma passed away, my aunt couldn’t even say goodbye to her mother. As Gazans, we are not able to travel and move freely.