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I'm an Israeli, I'm also a NodeJS core member and an open source guy with a lot of web experience. I've contacted Gaza Sky Geeks multiple times and offered assi

by inglor 10y ago

I'm an Israeli, I'm also a NodeJS core member and an open source guy with a lot of web experience. I've contacted Gaza Sky Geeks multiple times and offered assistance. They took almost a month to reply. Apparently, Israelis are not welcome. It's a shame that my only way to experience my neighbors is through serving in an armed forces war.

cup 10y ago
They probably did a cost-benefit analysis and realised the logistics and effort required to get one israeli into a gaza hackathon were not worth the pay off. Maybe you could organise a fundraiser to sponsor gazans to come to israel instead. They might like a chance to get out and have new experiences.
- inglor 10y ago
  I offered to do remote and I offered to do it for free. They did refer me to a supporters group: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/gsg-yaffa https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/gsg-yaffa It's a shame, I really do believe me and others like me have a lot to contribute and we're interested in contributing. We hate the Gazan government but we don't hate the Gaza population. I would really want to see them prosper like Israel and what better way than technology and what better way to bring it to them than to code together. We're on the same time zone too.
- chvid 10y ago
  Can you explain this: what logistics and effort? They are taking in people from all over the world yet not next door?
  - golergka 10y ago
    Official line of Hamas is that you have to kill all israeli jews they encounter on sight — even if it means making a suicide attack. Kids in kindergarden play through scenes of stabbing, kidnappings and suicide bombings. And despite Israel's security measures, this happens (inside Israel borders, not in Gaza) almost weekly. So, if unarmed israeli would find himself on his own in Gaza, we would have a full-fledged security crisis which would probably lead to the next war (because the dude most likely would be killed) instead of a hackathon.
inglor 10y ago
As a side note - if you ARE a developer in Gaza reading this and would like free coding help - feel free to contact me at "myhnusername"@"googlesemailservice".com
pyrale 10y ago
Your country is at war with them, and they are mostly on the receiving end. While I understand it can be frustrating not to be able to attend, certainly you can understand that it may be hard for at least some of the attendants to interact with you without prejudice, and therefore that it's significantly easier to plan without you. Blame the cause, not the consequence.
- calibraxis 10y ago
  > it may be hard for at least some of the attendants to interact with you without prejudice And vice-versa. The poster couldn't help but publicly write: "We hate the Gazan government". At least this individual will bring hate for their elected government. (And not just this one person, given the ominous "we".) I've had no problem assisting marginalized groups, as a privileged person. Because I don't center it on myself, as if I'm entitled to "experience my neighbors". As if the alternative is "serving in an armed forces war" against them, the extreme form of violence. The hackathon's organizers are clearly competent. Creating at least a somewhat safe environment for learners. As we can see, they would have been fools to do otherwise.
  - berntb 10y ago
    The Gaza government cites racist hate propaganda in their founding declaration and systematically target civilians. Not to mention torture/murders of their political opposition. You really don't hate governments like that yourself?
curiousgal 10y ago
I dated a Tunisian guy once and he was also frustrated he couldn't get into an Israeli university solely because of his nationality. This whole rift saddens me.
- inglor 10y ago
  I agree - it is equally frustrating. If you send me his contact information I'll see if I can contact some people from my university and see if there is something that can be done.
  - curiousgal 10y ago
    That is truly nice of you. However haven't contacted the guy in years. Thank you though! The world needs more people like you.
- berntb 10y ago
  There must be lots of children to Tunisians at the Israeli universities. :-) (The country threw out all the Jews in the 70s (iirc), a lot of them ended up in Israel.)
golergka 10y ago
Dude, you crazy? Hamas regularly executes suspected "israeli collaborators" in the streets — if these guys would answer your email, this would already be more evidence that is usually presented against these poor sods.
lemez9 10y ago
Really pleased to stumble across your comment. Don't be disheartened. People who support boycotts often come down very hard on those who work together. Kolhakavod.

by inglor 10y ago

cup 10y ago

They probably did a cost-benefit analysis and realised the logistics and effort required to get one israeli into a gaza hackathon were not worth the pay off. Maybe you could organise a fundraiser to sponsor gazans to come to israel instead. They might like a chance to get out and have new experiences.

inglor 10y ago
I offered to do remote and I offered to do it for free. They did refer me to a supporters group: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/gsg-yaffa https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/gsg-yaffa It's a shame, I really do believe me and others like me have a lot to contribute and we're interested in contributing. We hate the Gazan government but we don't hate the Gaza population. I would really want to see them prosper like Israel and what better way than technology and what better way to bring it to them than to code together. We're on the same time zone too.
chvid 10y ago
Can you explain this: what logistics and effort? They are taking in people from all over the world yet not next door?
- golergka 10y ago
  Official line of Hamas is that you have to kill all israeli jews they encounter on sight — even if it means making a suicide attack. Kids in kindergarden play through scenes of stabbing, kidnappings and suicide bombings. And despite Israel's security measures, this happens (inside Israel borders, not in Gaza) almost weekly. So, if unarmed israeli would find himself on his own in Gaza, we would have a full-fledged security crisis which would probably lead to the next war (because the dude most likely would be killed) instead of a hackathon.

inglor 10y ago

As a side note - if you ARE a developer in Gaza reading this and would like free coding help - feel free to contact me at "myhnusername"@"googlesemailservice".com

pyrale 10y ago

Your country is at war with them, and they are mostly on the receiving end. While I understand it can be frustrating not to be able to attend, certainly you can understand that it may be hard for at least some of the attendants to interact with you without prejudice, and therefore that it's significantly easier to plan without you. Blame the cause, not the consequence.

calibraxis 10y ago
> it may be hard for at least some of the attendants to interact with you without prejudice And vice-versa. The poster couldn't help but publicly write: "We hate the Gazan government". At least this individual will bring hate for their elected government. (And not just this one person, given the ominous "we".) I've had no problem assisting marginalized groups, as a privileged person. Because I don't center it on myself, as if I'm entitled to "experience my neighbors". As if the alternative is "serving in an armed forces war" against them, the extreme form of violence. The hackathon's organizers are clearly competent. Creating at least a somewhat safe environment for learners. As we can see, they would have been fools to do otherwise.
- berntb 10y ago
  The Gaza government cites racist hate propaganda in their founding declaration and systematically target civilians. Not to mention torture/murders of their political opposition. You really don't hate governments like that yourself?

curiousgal 10y ago

I dated a Tunisian guy once and he was also frustrated he couldn't get into an Israeli university solely because of his nationality. This whole rift saddens me.

inglor 10y ago
I agree - it is equally frustrating. If you send me his contact information I'll see if I can contact some people from my university and see if there is something that can be done.
- curiousgal 10y ago
  That is truly nice of you. However haven't contacted the guy in years. Thank you though! The world needs more people like you.
berntb 10y ago
There must be lots of children to Tunisians at the Israeli universities. :-) (The country threw out all the Jews in the 70s (iirc), a lot of them ended up in Israel.)

golergka 10y ago

Dude, you crazy? Hamas regularly executes suspected "israeli collaborators" in the streets — if these guys would answer your email, this would already be more evidence that is usually presented against these poor sods.

lemez9 10y ago

Really pleased to stumble across your comment. Don't be disheartened. People who support boycotts often come down very hard on those who work together. Kolhakavod.