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As an Israeli, I'm delighted to see Gaza citizens building businesses, gaining skills, and making money. This is in the mutual interest of Palestinians and Isr

by reuven 12y ago

As an Israeli, I'm delighted to see Gaza citizens building businesses, gaining skills, and making money. This is in the mutual interest of Palestinians and Israelis alike. I wish that it were somehow possible for Israelis to help the Gazans in their attempts to build such businesses, but realize that this is (for now) sadly unrealistic. For now, I wish them great success, and am excited to see them start the process of giving Gaza a flourishing civilian economy.

ezequiel-garzon 12y ago
I applaud your attitude, and firmly believe you are part of a quiet (or less vocal) majority on both sides. Although this [1] project seems to have evaporated, things like that and your comment give great hope. [1] http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/29/technology/29compute.html http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/29/technology/29compute.html
- adambenayoun 12y ago
  I'm Israeli too - I applaud and support the Gazan startup economy. I know this is the only hope to build a solid bridge between the Israeli and Gazan community. I wish both sides could be more vocal.
jacalata 12y ago
You can donate directly to the startup incubator, for the next 20 hours: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/save-gaza-s-only-startup-accelerator https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/save-gaza-s-only-startup-...
GFK_of_xmaspast 12y ago
It's totally possible to help, for starters you could be campaigning to end the settlements and occupation.
- ikonst 12y ago
  You're mixing up Gaza and the West Bank. What Israel (and Egypt) are doing is - 1) blockading Gaza, 2) entering armed conflicts with the Hamas with high human casualties and vast damage to infrastructure Israel is not occupying Gaza. All settlements in the Gaza strip were dismantled in 2005: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israeli_disengagement_from_Gaza http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israeli_disengagement_from_Gaza The Israeli military absolutely does not enter Gaza frivolously as it does in the West Bank, and Hamas law is in full effect there, not Israeli martial law. Supporting the project on Indiegogo is probably the best thing to do, as an Israeli: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/save-gaza-s-only-startup-accelerator https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/save-gaza-s-only-startup-...
  - marvin 12y ago
    I don't think the situations in Gaza and the West Bank can be treated as individual and isolated, though. Israeli oppression and annexation (confiscation) of West Bank territory breeds resentment and hatred among all Palestineans, though, and with good reason. I have never seen a good argument for why this policy should be in place. If you forcibly take away people's property and livelihood, of course they will want to defend themselves. Pulling out of Gaza was probably a good move on Israel's side, although it's incredibly sad that this opportunity has not even after a decade resulted in a higher standard of living for the people of Gaza. Hamas, on the other hand, needs to act less like a terrorist organization and more like a mature government. I am certain that this last bit will not happen, but at least there are more sound arguments for why Hamas policy is foolish if Israel's peace-time policies are solid from a human rights perspective. Self-defense against terrorism and guerillia tactics is predictably destructive to the civilian population, so I'd rather not get into that bag of snakes. The only consolation is that international pressure holds the Israeli military to a relatively high moral standard; I shudder to think what would have happened under the military doctrines of the 1900s and before. Finally, very happy to see that there is digital commerce going on in Gaza. Economic development is key to ensuring better lives and hopefully resolving this terrible conflict. So if the surveillance opportunity means that Gaza/West Bank internet traffic is relatively unhindered, that provides one sound channel through which commerce is possible (in spite of the perverted background of control and surveillance).

by reuven 12y ago

ezequiel-garzon 12y ago

I applaud your attitude, and firmly believe you are part of a quiet (or less vocal) majority on both sides. Although this [1] project seems to have evaporated, things like that and your comment give great hope. [1] http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/29/technology/29compute.html http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/29/technology/29compute.html

adambenayoun 12y ago
I'm Israeli too - I applaud and support the Gazan startup economy. I know this is the only hope to build a solid bridge between the Israeli and Gazan community. I wish both sides could be more vocal.

jacalata 12y ago

You can donate directly to the startup incubator, for the next 20 hours: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/save-gaza-s-only-startup-accelerator https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/save-gaza-s-only-startup-...

GFK_of_xmaspast 12y ago

It's totally possible to help, for starters you could be campaigning to end the settlements and occupation.

ikonst 12y ago
You're mixing up Gaza and the West Bank. What Israel (and Egypt) are doing is - 1) blockading Gaza, 2) entering armed conflicts with the Hamas with high human casualties and vast damage to infrastructure Israel is not occupying Gaza. All settlements in the Gaza strip were dismantled in 2005: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israeli_disengagement_from_Gaza http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israeli_disengagement_from_Gaza The Israeli military absolutely does not enter Gaza frivolously as it does in the West Bank, and Hamas law is in full effect there, not Israeli martial law. Supporting the project on Indiegogo is probably the best thing to do, as an Israeli: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/save-gaza-s-only-startup-accelerator https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/save-gaza-s-only-startup-...
- marvin 12y ago
  I don't think the situations in Gaza and the West Bank can be treated as individual and isolated, though. Israeli oppression and annexation (confiscation) of West Bank territory breeds resentment and hatred among all Palestineans, though, and with good reason. I have never seen a good argument for why this policy should be in place. If you forcibly take away people's property and livelihood, of course they will want to defend themselves. Pulling out of Gaza was probably a good move on Israel's side, although it's incredibly sad that this opportunity has not even after a decade resulted in a higher standard of living for the people of Gaza. Hamas, on the other hand, needs to act less like a terrorist organization and more like a mature government. I am certain that this last bit will not happen, but at least there are more sound arguments for why Hamas policy is foolish if Israel's peace-time policies are solid from a human rights perspective. Self-defense against terrorism and guerillia tactics is predictably destructive to the civilian population, so I'd rather not get into that bag of snakes. The only consolation is that international pressure holds the Israeli military to a relatively high moral standard; I shudder to think what would have happened under the military doctrines of the 1900s and before. Finally, very happy to see that there is digital commerce going on in Gaza. Economic development is key to ensuring better lives and hopefully resolving this terrible conflict. So if the surveillance opportunity means that Gaza/West Bank internet traffic is relatively unhindered, that provides one sound channel through which commerce is possible (in spite of the perverted background of control and surveillance).