25 ms·

Marc Benioff joins Valley notables backing Gaza’s first coding academy

124 points by dianacbiggs 10y ago

iblankm 10y ago
The energy crisis that sparked this crowdfunding campaign (to get a generator + fuel for Gaza's startups and developers) is now front page news... For those of you who have been conflating all Gazans with Hamas, read this: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-38604904 http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-38604904 Gaza electricity crisis: Hamas breaks up protest Meanwhile, comedian Adel al-Mashwakhi was arrested hours after posting a video criticising Hamas, the Associated Press news agency reports. "There is no work, no crossings, no food, no water to drink and also there is no electricity," he said in the one-minute video, which has been watched more than 250,000 times. "Enough Hamas. Enough, enough, enough. We want electricity, we want electricity, we want electricity." Hamas has not commented.
oculusthrift 10y ago
is doing something like this considered a political statement against israel?
- deleted 10y ago
  [deleted]
  - deleted 10y ago
    [deleted]
- br0s 10y ago
  On the contrary, such programs can shift focus from daily hardships and provide some hope for the future, which usually has a pacifying effect. Less extremism in Gaza is better for Israel.
- justinzollars 10y ago
  Maybe he's just trying to lift the people up. I don't see anything anti-Israel about that.
- ars 10y ago
  Not in the slightest. This kind of activity (economic activity) is probably the best way possible to deescalate the conflict. Israel has no interest in Gaza, they just want them to stop trying to attack, so if anything this program is for Israel, not against it. If you need evidence for that, then note that even during the worst conflicts Israel kept full communication (Cell and Internet) active in Gaza, which is opposite of what is normally done (cutting communication of the opponent). And it's not for wiretapping since easy encryption makes that infeasible in bulk, plus the people you would want to tap are not the ordinary everyday Internet users. As additional evidence, increasing economic activity in the West Bank has been the backbone of Israel's attempt to keep things calm. The more countries depend on each other for trade the less conflict there is - this is a pattern worldwide.
  - noobermin 10y ago
    >[...] they just want them to stop trying to attack, so if anything this program is for Israel, not against it. I hate to bring politics in this, but any sort of aid given to the Gaza people can be construed by others as being political. In fact, people arguing for the Two-State Solution or the end of the expansion of settlements on the West Bank make the argument that such a development would be the best for Israel, and not against it. Since others (ie., the current right-wing gov't of Israel and its supporters) would interpret that as being against Israel, I can't imagine the same people would see economic aid to Gaza as being beneficial to them.
    - vinay427 10y ago
      I would suspect one reason is because fewer attacks from Gaza would mean less global sympathy for the cause which that group of right-wing Israelis support (a larger, rather than smaller, state of Israel).
  - random314 10y ago
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holy_Land_Foundation_for_Relief_and_Development https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holy_Land_Foundation_for_Relie... > During the 2007 trial the lawyers representing the foundation said that the Justice Department fabricated quotes and modified transcripts.[17] Critics faulted much of the evidence given during the trial. For example, over defense objection, the government called two anonymous witnesses: an Israeli Security Agency employee who was known to the jurors and the defense as "Avi" and an Israeli Defense Forces officer who was known to the jurors and the defense as "Major Lior." Even the defense lawyers were not permitted to know the names of these witnesses.[18] The government did not allege that HLF paid directly for suicide bombings, but instead that the foundation supported terrorism by sending more than $12 million to charitable groups, known as zakat committees, which build hospitals and feed the poor. The prosecution said the committees were controlled by Hamas, and contributed to terrorism by helping Hamas spread its ideology and recruit supporters.[19] Some of these charitable committees were still receiving US funding through the USAID programme as late as 2006. None of the zakat committees was included on the Treasury Department list of designated terrorist organizations. Edward Abington, Jr., former U.S. consul general in Jerusalem, acted as a defence witness and testified that during his daily CIA briefings he had never been informed that Hamas controlled the Palestinian charity groups mentioned.
- r00fus 10y ago
  Only by those who are so polarized that they can't condone even mutually beneficial acts because "enemies".
- sremani 10y ago
  Gaza has population of about 1.8 million with a high literacy rate, 97%. It is a densely populated enclave. It might well be a political statement, but not necessarily a statement against Israel. I think its more like providing an economic life-line.
- inglor 10y ago
  As an Israeli, I find it extremely frustrating that I can't help. I joined their "supporters" group and wanted to Mentor but it didn't really work out. I totally get why they weren't really interested - but it's frustrating. Most Israelis think this is a great opportunity and support these sort of initiatives. They've worked well with Jordan in the past.
  - deleted 10y ago
    [deleted]
- metaphorm 10y ago
  why are you even asking that question? is anything that doesn't treat Palestinians like vermin somehow a "political statement against Israel?"
sremani 10y ago
From VentureBeat Article... http://venturebeat.com/2017/01/09/marc-benioff-eric-ries-dave-mcclure-back-effort-to-fund-coding-academy-in-gaza/ http://venturebeat.com/2017/01/09/marc-benioff-eric-ries-dav... Here’s a list of the supporters matching donations: Skoll Foundation, Salesforce’s Marc Benioff, Techstars’ Brad Feld, Y Combinator’s Paul Graham, author Eric Ries, 500 Startups’ Dave McClure, Aramex cofounder Fadi Ghandour, Crescent Enterprises CEO Badr Jafar, Leap Ventures’ Hala Fadel, Tech.eu cofounder Jon Bradford, Kapor Capital partner Freada Kapor Klein and Mitch Kapor, National Beverage Company — Coca-Cola Palestine Chairman and CEO Zahi Khouri, Jabbar chairman Samih Toukan, Google principal scientist Blaise Aguera y Arcas, Uber’s Amsterdam head of engineering Mustafa Sezgin, 500 Startups’ Khailee Ng, Techstars COO Jenny Lawton, and Techstars cofounder David Cohen.
aclsid 10y ago
Good job, tech will makes us free. Besides, I'm pretty sure that if geeks were in charge of both Israel and Palestine, they would just solve their differences on a PvP server, end of story :)
- codr4life 10y ago
  If anything, tech is quickly turning this world into a pile of poo with no space for real humans. Teaching people how to write code won't do shit to help them; this is all about making sure there's desperately cheap labor around to fix bugs tomorrow.
- Apocryphon 10y ago
  Many terrorists have engineering backgrounds: https://duckduckgo.com/?q=engineers+terrorism https://duckduckgo.com/?q=engineers+terrorism
dannylandau 10y ago
Seems like Israeli companies are also trying to help out -- http://www.reuters.com/article/us-israel-palestinians-mellanox-idUSKCN0Z21ZR http://www.reuters.com/article/us-israel-palestinians-mellan...
- inglor 10y ago
  I have second hand experience from friends working there. Lots of good cooperation is happening between Israelis and Palestinians. If only our governments didn't suck :) The Palestinian workers in Mellanox are well liked and respected from what I saw and the company enjoys having them.
  - detritus 10y ago
    Thanks for this — always good to hear from people on the ground, so to speak, away from all the prepolarised babble.
- ameen 10y ago
  Few of them lived side by side before all of the ugliness of conflict started.
bsaul 10y ago
Weird how some supporter of the palestinian cause here almost regret that some people in Gaza choose to find a way to live "normaly" and create themselves some kind of future, rather than go and try to kill other people. And here am i, naively thinking that everything that helps people turn away from violence was a step toward peace...
jbermudez5 10y ago
Having volunteered with Gaza Sky Geeks (GSG) and been on the ground all I can say is that this is a big positive in the region and for the people living in Gaza. You would not believe how welcoming and hard working Palestinians are. There is a generalization because of the conflict but at the end of the day these are people like you and me trying to achieve their goals in a positive way. There is a political situation around it and it cannot be ignored from the moment you arrive but I strongly believe that Mercy Corps and GSG and initiatives like the coding academy help a population that lives in harsh conditions without access of what we give for granted in the US. Here are some of the things that blew me away: - About 50% of the founders in the GSG were women. - There are a lot of very young and talented engineers. - Walking through Gaza as a western looking guy I feared people would not be super happy, it was quite the opposite, endless invitations to have coffee, eat watermelon, say hello and welcome. - Hardware startups solving issues that could be applied to underdeveloped countries, one of my favorites was a USB charger that you power by slipping into your shoe and walking. There is no reason to not celebrate and join the people backing these initiatives, they have a direct impact on good people and even if you have concerns about the politics in the region, I think these programs help alleviate the tension and let people focus on living their lives and not be frustrated with the laundry list of day to day hurdles they encounter.
- bogomipz 10y ago
  Good on you for donating your time like that. How did you get involved with GSG? How long will you be there for? Cheers.
  - dianacbiggs 10y ago
    I applied to be a mentor on their website after reading about the accelerator. You can also donate to their current campaign to help create the coding academy, which I've also done, after seeing it in person I can personally say it's fantastic and students there told me how much it's changing their lives, making them more confident and hopeful about opportunities for their future. Link is here: http://www.powerupgazageeks.com/ http://www.powerupgazageeks.com/
  - 10y ago
davidf18 10y ago
I've been to Israel many times including during the time of the first Gaza conflict (Cast Lead). There were elections in 2006 and Hamas was elected over Fatah. Hamas does not recognize Israel and is declared a terrorist state by the US, EU as well as Israel. There were supposed to be elections in 2010 but Hamas will not allow them. Hamas has spent large sums of money shooting missiles into Israel and using concrete meant for building homes and schools for and hiring labor for building tunnels into Israel. So serious was the missile problem that Israel created the Iron Dome missile system (see youtube or CBS 60 minutes) to protect its population. That technology is now being co-produced with a US arms manufacturer for sale to other countries. The Israelis have also had to develop tunnel locating technology. While Israel has a program of encouraging venture capital and startups, it is truly a pity that the Palestinians did not elect Fatah over Hamas.
- random314 10y ago
  > There were elections in 2006 and Hamas was elected over Fatah. If the people of the land don't elect the party we prefer (by cross-checking with our terrorist list) we have no choice but to support their seige, occupation and Apartheid.
  - iblankm 10y ago
    The US, Israeli, and Polish governments don't represent significant chunks of their population (in the US, 50% of the population didn't vote for Trump). A government being elected does NOT equal a reason to ostracize all the people living there. In Gaza people who protest against Hamas get killed. During the 2014 conflict, 70 people in Gaza were hung for being collaborators with Israel, with no trial, proof, etc. Gazans who are not in favor of their government are between a rock and a hard place: ostracized by the international community for a government they didn't choose, and suffering due to the local politics that they don't approve of. Wouldn't you at least want to support the people whose perspectives you align with?
  - davidf18 10y ago
    The Palestinians elected a terrorist organization that shot missiles into Israel killing civilians that also refuses to recognize Israel. Egypt has closed off their border and flooded illegal tunnels to Gaza as well. I was a few miles away from the World Trade Center in Upper West Side Manhattan on 9/11. I don't feel kindly toward people that elect terrorist organizations to be their government. Sorry if that bothers you.
dopeboy 10y ago
I volunteered for them back in May of 2016 and wrote about it here on HN. Can't say enough good things about the experience and the people. Please help their cause. I can personally vouch that the money will go to good people who are hungry to learn and eager to make a difference. I ran two workshops when I went and we had great turnout in each session. People were asking great questions and wanted to stay after to continue learning.
cndesrosiers 10y ago
Having read many of the posts in this thread, I feel compelled to contribute. The complexity of the politics of the region are beyond my grasp. I am not a political scientist, nor have I spent much time in the region. However, as an entrepreneur who has volunteered with Gaza Sky Geeks and who has traveled to Gaza to mentor at their co-working space, I feel compelled to say that (1) the organization is unquestionably using its resources effectively to foster startups there and (2) the entrepreneurs who are part of the accelerator and the wider community who attends their events are some of the most intelligent, hardest working, and good-hearted people I have ever encountered. That sounds hyperbolic, but it's true. Most importantly, the entrepreneurs and aspiring entrepreneurs are young and have had no part in the decades of political and military conflicts that have created the regrettable tension in the region. They have been implicated in the large mess solely by virtue of where they happened to have been born. Regardless on which side of the issue you fall, it is undeniable that the problems have been created by members of the older generations. It seems reasonable to place the bet that, if a more peaceful future is possible, it will happen by creating productive pathways for the rising generation. In the most challenging political context on the planet, Gaza Sky Geeks does an excellent job of rendering its work apolitical. I have seen this first hand. The organization is there to help Gazans create for themselves new opportunities and more hopeful futures. And, again, the Gazans who participate in their programs are of the best character and are only seeking to put their energy to create value for consumers, regardless of race or creed, via their startups. I am not nor have I ever been an employee of Gaza Sky Geeks and have nothing to gain by writing any of this. I have no dog in this fight. But for whatever the words of an internet commenter are worth, I would urge skeptics to consider giving the organization the benefit of the doubt. I cannot say enough positive things about this organization's mission and their effective execution of it.
uipoliti 10y ago
I applied to mentor and got accepted last Summer. I visited Gaza last December and it was unforgettable. The Gaza Sky Geeks (mostly geekettes!) are the most resilient and inspired group I've met in my life. Proud to support this effort. Would love to go back.
9aa 10y ago
As a mentor at the very first Startup Weekend Gaza, I was very impressed both at the energy that young Gazans put into their ideas and their optimism that they can build a better, more peaceful world with technology. I mentored one young female entrepreneur who built an Uber-like platform for Gaza using SMS. We spent all of our time discussing the possibilities for market expansion to places where she wouldn't compete directly with Uber, and none of it discussing politics. She was very driven to take her idea to the next level and to travel abroad despite the concerns of her more conservative family. While many of the entrepreneurs I spoke to were hesitant to voice their political opinions because of the climate in which they live, it was clear that they simply want peace and a chance to be creative with their ideas and lives just like young people everywhere. They did not create the political situation they are in but very much want to change it. They do not engage with the rhetoric of the victim or the aggressor -- which are two sides of one coin-- but simply were focused on the possibilities of expanding their horizons and making something that could advance humanity bit by bit. I was also impressed by the number of women present, as others have mentioned, as it exceeded the percentages I had seen throughout the rest of the Arab World. That alone is a significant achievement. These women were very motivated to create a better life. And I felt nothing but gratitude and a desire for upward movement and transcendence of conflict from everyone we worked with. I hope those reading this thread will consider focusing on the future and supporting this initiative to support a positive future in Gaza, with hope for peace.
iblankm 10y ago
I think the best way to see what's going on there is to watch the videos. Have you all seen the ones about Gaza's startup founders and developers? Here are a few: Women founders + developers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7nAkx4n0yUU&feature=youtu.be https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7nAkx4n0yUU&feature=youtu.be The crowdfunding campaign video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEJtZekhROE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEJtZekhROE There are some personal interviews too on that channel, but my favorite is this bloopers video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_f_w1aoJgO8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_f_w1aoJgO8 Another video that shows Gaza on the ground (no relation to the geeks there) is Gangam Style Gaza. Love this! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYMh09vPwdM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYMh09vPwdM

124 points by dianacbiggs 10y ago

The energy crisis that sparked this crowdfunding campaign (to get a generator + fuel for Gaza's startups and developers) is now front page news... For those of you who have been conflating all Gazans with Hamas, read this: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-38604904 http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-38604904 Gaza electricity crisis: Hamas breaks up protest Meanwhile, comedian Adel al-Mashwakhi was arrested hours after posting a video criticising Hamas, the Associated Press news agency reports. "There is no work, no crossings, no food, no water to drink and also there is no electricity," he said in the one-minute video, which has been watched more than 250,000 times. "Enough Hamas. Enough, enough, enough. We want electricity, we want electricity, we want electricity." Hamas has not commented.

oculusthrift 10y ago

is doing something like this considered a political statement against israel?

deleted 10y ago
[deleted]
- deleted 10y ago
  [deleted]
br0s 10y ago
On the contrary, such programs can shift focus from daily hardships and provide some hope for the future, which usually has a pacifying effect. Less extremism in Gaza is better for Israel.
justinzollars 10y ago
Maybe he's just trying to lift the people up. I don't see anything anti-Israel about that.
ars 10y ago
Not in the slightest. This kind of activity (economic activity) is probably the best way possible to deescalate the conflict. Israel has no interest in Gaza, they just want them to stop trying to attack, so if anything this program is for Israel, not against it. If you need evidence for that, then note that even during the worst conflicts Israel kept full communication (Cell and Internet) active in Gaza, which is opposite of what is normally done (cutting communication of the opponent). And it's not for wiretapping since easy encryption makes that infeasible in bulk, plus the people you would want to tap are not the ordinary everyday Internet users. As additional evidence, increasing economic activity in the West Bank has been the backbone of Israel's attempt to keep things calm. The more countries depend on each other for trade the less conflict there is - this is a pattern worldwide.
- noobermin 10y ago
  >[...] they just want them to stop trying to attack, so if anything this program is for Israel, not against it. I hate to bring politics in this, but any sort of aid given to the Gaza people can be construed by others as being political. In fact, people arguing for the Two-State Solution or the end of the expansion of settlements on the West Bank make the argument that such a development would be the best for Israel, and not against it. Since others (ie., the current right-wing gov't of Israel and its supporters) would interpret that as being against Israel, I can't imagine the same people would see economic aid to Gaza as being beneficial to them.
  - vinay427 10y ago
    I would suspect one reason is because fewer attacks from Gaza would mean less global sympathy for the cause which that group of right-wing Israelis support (a larger, rather than smaller, state of Israel).
- random314 10y ago
  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holy_Land_Foundation_for_Relief_and_Development https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holy_Land_Foundation_for_Relie... > During the 2007 trial the lawyers representing the foundation said that the Justice Department fabricated quotes and modified transcripts.[17] Critics faulted much of the evidence given during the trial. For example, over defense objection, the government called two anonymous witnesses: an Israeli Security Agency employee who was known to the jurors and the defense as "Avi" and an Israeli Defense Forces officer who was known to the jurors and the defense as "Major Lior." Even the defense lawyers were not permitted to know the names of these witnesses.[18] The government did not allege that HLF paid directly for suicide bombings, but instead that the foundation supported terrorism by sending more than $12 million to charitable groups, known as zakat committees, which build hospitals and feed the poor. The prosecution said the committees were controlled by Hamas, and contributed to terrorism by helping Hamas spread its ideology and recruit supporters.[19] Some of these charitable committees were still receiving US funding through the USAID programme as late as 2006. None of the zakat committees was included on the Treasury Department list of designated terrorist organizations. Edward Abington, Jr., former U.S. consul general in Jerusalem, acted as a defence witness and testified that during his daily CIA briefings he had never been informed that Hamas controlled the Palestinian charity groups mentioned.
r00fus 10y ago
Only by those who are so polarized that they can't condone even mutually beneficial acts because "enemies".
sremani 10y ago
Gaza has population of about 1.8 million with a high literacy rate, 97%. It is a densely populated enclave. It might well be a political statement, but not necessarily a statement against Israel. I think its more like providing an economic life-line.
inglor 10y ago
As an Israeli, I find it extremely frustrating that I can't help. I joined their "supporters" group and wanted to Mentor but it didn't really work out. I totally get why they weren't really interested - but it's frustrating. Most Israelis think this is a great opportunity and support these sort of initiatives. They've worked well with Jordan in the past.
- deleted 10y ago
  [deleted]
metaphorm 10y ago
why are you even asking that question? is anything that doesn't treat Palestinians like vermin somehow a "political statement against Israel?"

sremani 10y ago

From VentureBeat Article... http://venturebeat.com/2017/01/09/marc-benioff-eric-ries-dave-mcclure-back-effort-to-fund-coding-academy-in-gaza/ http://venturebeat.com/2017/01/09/marc-benioff-eric-ries-dav... Here’s a list of the supporters matching donations: Skoll Foundation, Salesforce’s Marc Benioff, Techstars’ Brad Feld, Y Combinator’s Paul Graham, author Eric Ries, 500 Startups’ Dave McClure, Aramex cofounder Fadi Ghandour, Crescent Enterprises CEO Badr Jafar, Leap Ventures’ Hala Fadel, Tech.eu cofounder Jon Bradford, Kapor Capital partner Freada Kapor Klein and Mitch Kapor, National Beverage Company — Coca-Cola Palestine Chairman and CEO Zahi Khouri, Jabbar chairman Samih Toukan, Google principal scientist Blaise Aguera y Arcas, Uber’s Amsterdam head of engineering Mustafa Sezgin, 500 Startups’ Khailee Ng, Techstars COO Jenny Lawton, and Techstars cofounder David Cohen.

aclsid 10y ago

Good job, tech will makes us free. Besides, I'm pretty sure that if geeks were in charge of both Israel and Palestine, they would just solve their differences on a PvP server, end of story :)

codr4life 10y ago
If anything, tech is quickly turning this world into a pile of poo with no space for real humans. Teaching people how to write code won't do shit to help them; this is all about making sure there's desperately cheap labor around to fix bugs tomorrow.
Apocryphon 10y ago
Many terrorists have engineering backgrounds: https://duckduckgo.com/?q=engineers+terrorism https://duckduckgo.com/?q=engineers+terrorism

dannylandau 10y ago

Seems like Israeli companies are also trying to help out -- http://www.reuters.com/article/us-israel-palestinians-mellanox-idUSKCN0Z21ZR http://www.reuters.com/article/us-israel-palestinians-mellan...

inglor 10y ago
I have second hand experience from friends working there. Lots of good cooperation is happening between Israelis and Palestinians. If only our governments didn't suck :) The Palestinian workers in Mellanox are well liked and respected from what I saw and the company enjoys having them.
- detritus 10y ago
  Thanks for this — always good to hear from people on the ground, so to speak, away from all the prepolarised babble.
ameen 10y ago
Few of them lived side by side before all of the ugliness of conflict started.

bsaul 10y ago

Weird how some supporter of the palestinian cause here almost regret that some people in Gaza choose to find a way to live "normaly" and create themselves some kind of future, rather than go and try to kill other people. And here am i, naively thinking that everything that helps people turn away from violence was a step toward peace...

jbermudez5 10y ago

Having volunteered with Gaza Sky Geeks (GSG) and been on the ground all I can say is that this is a big positive in the region and for the people living in Gaza. You would not believe how welcoming and hard working Palestinians are. There is a generalization because of the conflict but at the end of the day these are people like you and me trying to achieve their goals in a positive way. There is a political situation around it and it cannot be ignored from the moment you arrive but I strongly believe that Mercy Corps and GSG and initiatives like the coding academy help a population that lives in harsh conditions without access of what we give for granted in the US. Here are some of the things that blew me away: - About 50% of the founders in the GSG were women. - There are a lot of very young and talented engineers. - Walking through Gaza as a western looking guy I feared people would not be super happy, it was quite the opposite, endless invitations to have coffee, eat watermelon, say hello and welcome. - Hardware startups solving issues that could be applied to underdeveloped countries, one of my favorites was a USB charger that you power by slipping into your shoe and walking. There is no reason to not celebrate and join the people backing these initiatives, they have a direct impact on good people and even if you have concerns about the politics in the region, I think these programs help alleviate the tension and let people focus on living their lives and not be frustrated with the laundry list of day to day hurdles they encounter.

bogomipz 10y ago
Good on you for donating your time like that. How did you get involved with GSG? How long will you be there for? Cheers.
- dianacbiggs 10y ago
  I applied to be a mentor on their website after reading about the accelerator. You can also donate to their current campaign to help create the coding academy, which I've also done, after seeing it in person I can personally say it's fantastic and students there told me how much it's changing their lives, making them more confident and hopeful about opportunities for their future. Link is here: http://www.powerupgazageeks.com/ http://www.powerupgazageeks.com/
- 10y ago

davidf18 10y ago

I've been to Israel many times including during the time of the first Gaza conflict (Cast Lead). There were elections in 2006 and Hamas was elected over Fatah. Hamas does not recognize Israel and is declared a terrorist state by the US, EU as well as Israel. There were supposed to be elections in 2010 but Hamas will not allow them. Hamas has spent large sums of money shooting missiles into Israel and using concrete meant for building homes and schools for and hiring labor for building tunnels into Israel. So serious was the missile problem that Israel created the Iron Dome missile system (see youtube or CBS 60 minutes) to protect its population. That technology is now being co-produced with a US arms manufacturer for sale to other countries. The Israelis have also had to develop tunnel locating technology. While Israel has a program of encouraging venture capital and startups, it is truly a pity that the Palestinians did not elect Fatah over Hamas.

random314 10y ago
> There were elections in 2006 and Hamas was elected over Fatah. If the people of the land don't elect the party we prefer (by cross-checking with our terrorist list) we have no choice but to support their seige, occupation and Apartheid.
- iblankm 10y ago
  The US, Israeli, and Polish governments don't represent significant chunks of their population (in the US, 50% of the population didn't vote for Trump). A government being elected does NOT equal a reason to ostracize all the people living there. In Gaza people who protest against Hamas get killed. During the 2014 conflict, 70 people in Gaza were hung for being collaborators with Israel, with no trial, proof, etc. Gazans who are not in favor of their government are between a rock and a hard place: ostracized by the international community for a government they didn't choose, and suffering due to the local politics that they don't approve of. Wouldn't you at least want to support the people whose perspectives you align with?
- davidf18 10y ago
  The Palestinians elected a terrorist organization that shot missiles into Israel killing civilians that also refuses to recognize Israel. Egypt has closed off their border and flooded illegal tunnels to Gaza as well. I was a few miles away from the World Trade Center in Upper West Side Manhattan on 9/11. I don't feel kindly toward people that elect terrorist organizations to be their government. Sorry if that bothers you.

dopeboy 10y ago

I volunteered for them back in May of 2016 and wrote about it here on HN. Can't say enough good things about the experience and the people. Please help their cause. I can personally vouch that the money will go to good people who are hungry to learn and eager to make a difference. I ran two workshops when I went and we had great turnout in each session. People were asking great questions and wanted to stay after to continue learning.

cndesrosiers 10y ago

Having read many of the posts in this thread, I feel compelled to contribute. The complexity of the politics of the region are beyond my grasp. I am not a political scientist, nor have I spent much time in the region. However, as an entrepreneur who has volunteered with Gaza Sky Geeks and who has traveled to Gaza to mentor at their co-working space, I feel compelled to say that (1) the organization is unquestionably using its resources effectively to foster startups there and (2) the entrepreneurs who are part of the accelerator and the wider community who attends their events are some of the most intelligent, hardest working, and good-hearted people I have ever encountered. That sounds hyperbolic, but it's true. Most importantly, the entrepreneurs and aspiring entrepreneurs are young and have had no part in the decades of political and military conflicts that have created the regrettable tension in the region. They have been implicated in the large mess solely by virtue of where they happened to have been born. Regardless on which side of the issue you fall, it is undeniable that the problems have been created by members of the older generations. It seems reasonable to place the bet that, if a more peaceful future is possible, it will happen by creating productive pathways for the rising generation. In the most challenging political context on the planet, Gaza Sky Geeks does an excellent job of rendering its work apolitical. I have seen this first hand. The organization is there to help Gazans create for themselves new opportunities and more hopeful futures. And, again, the Gazans who participate in their programs are of the best character and are only seeking to put their energy to create value for consumers, regardless of race or creed, via their startups. I am not nor have I ever been an employee of Gaza Sky Geeks and have nothing to gain by writing any of this. I have no dog in this fight. But for whatever the words of an internet commenter are worth, I would urge skeptics to consider giving the organization the benefit of the doubt. I cannot say enough positive things about this organization's mission and their effective execution of it.

uipoliti 10y ago

I applied to mentor and got accepted last Summer. I visited Gaza last December and it was unforgettable. The Gaza Sky Geeks (mostly geekettes!) are the most resilient and inspired group I've met in my life. Proud to support this effort. Would love to go back.

9aa 10y ago

As a mentor at the very first Startup Weekend Gaza, I was very impressed both at the energy that young Gazans put into their ideas and their optimism that they can build a better, more peaceful world with technology. I mentored one young female entrepreneur who built an Uber-like platform for Gaza using SMS. We spent all of our time discussing the possibilities for market expansion to places where she wouldn't compete directly with Uber, and none of it discussing politics. She was very driven to take her idea to the next level and to travel abroad despite the concerns of her more conservative family. While many of the entrepreneurs I spoke to were hesitant to voice their political opinions because of the climate in which they live, it was clear that they simply want peace and a chance to be creative with their ideas and lives just like young people everywhere. They did not create the political situation they are in but very much want to change it. They do not engage with the rhetoric of the victim or the aggressor -- which are two sides of one coin-- but simply were focused on the possibilities of expanding their horizons and making something that could advance humanity bit by bit. I was also impressed by the number of women present, as others have mentioned, as it exceeded the percentages I had seen throughout the rest of the Arab World. That alone is a significant achievement. These women were very motivated to create a better life. And I felt nothing but gratitude and a desire for upward movement and transcendence of conflict from everyone we worked with. I hope those reading this thread will consider focusing on the future and supporting this initiative to support a positive future in Gaza, with hope for peace.

iblankm 10y ago

I think the best way to see what's going on there is to watch the videos. Have you all seen the ones about Gaza's startup founders and developers? Here are a few: Women founders + developers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7nAkx4n0yUU&feature=youtu.be https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7nAkx4n0yUU&feature=youtu.be The crowdfunding campaign video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEJtZekhROE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEJtZekhROE There are some personal interviews too on that channel, but my favorite is this bloopers video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_f_w1aoJgO8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_f_w1aoJgO8 Another video that shows Gaza on the ground (no relation to the geeks there) is Gangam Style Gaza. Love this! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYMh09vPwdM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYMh09vPwdM