By: Cecelia Haase
How can technology augment peace resolution processed within the Israel Palestine Conflict?
Introduction
Israel is commonly referred to as the “Start-Up Nation” with a bolstering economy based on technology (Solomon, 2021). Yet one must consider where this acceleration of Israel as a leader in the digital age leaves those in the occupied territories. In the 2017 ICT (Information Communication Technology) Data index, Israel is ranked 23 compared to Palestine’s 123. Many Palestinians are allowed access to subpar levels of technological connections, surveillance, and limits to participate in Israel’s growing technology industry. This technological occupation puts Palestinians at an economic disadvantage when searching for justice. Exploring how rising participation in the technology sector enforced through organizations previously mentioned can disrupt power dynamics in the face of government control over the ICT infrastructure in Palestinian territories while also facing these issues to properly equip participants on the reality of what is needed to establish peace across the technological divide. The importance of conscientious tech leaders and lessened technological sanctions is established to allow technology to augment the peacebuilding process within Israel and Palestine.
Power Structures And Technology
ICT technology is a method to create inclusion and narrative sharing while also holding an immense ability to make further divisions within a conflict. An essential aspect of this separation between the capabilities in technology lies in the power ICT infrastructure provides, which can either be used to hold power over or give power to. Where power structures must be shifted to have “internationals’ power over locals is transformed into the internationals’ power to allow locals to own, manage and direct peace efforts.” (Kappler & Tiedis, 80). With peacebuilding still relying on top-down structures, there is an inherent risk of a hegemonic status quo prevailing. The nature of the application of technology comes down instead to who is wielding this power; it is those who have the capabilities and willingness to use technology as a tool that will control the impacts of technology on peace; creating a need for the empowerment of those in the technology industry with a mentality based on peace and equality since technology’s effects on peace are much less about the actual tech and more on how people use it.
Israel’s Control Over Palestinian ICT Infrastructure
The ICT infrastructure within Palestine faces numerous sanctions through Israeli policies where there are many barriers to physical support of technological services and permitting for internet connection. Connection Interrupted, a report on Israel’s control over the ICT infrastructure by Palestinian advocacy group 7amleh, describes the implications as “Israel’s refusal and delay to release technologies required for the growth and operation of Palestinian telecommunication operators have limited Palestinian economic growth and made it impossible to compete with Israeli operators who have many clients in the West Bank and East Jerusalem”(AbuShanab, 16). Describing how many are these restrictions stifle Palestine’s growth and ability to establish autonomous economies. This control stems past economic power and impacts the daily life of Palestinians as well, “government’s illegitimate use of ICT infrastructure include, inter alia, disrupting or completely shutting down systems, the misuse of information for surveillance, censoring speech, deleting or blocking data, or the forced distribution of politically motivated messages via operators’ networks” (AbuShanab, 9). In the face of unequal access to such a vital resource in the modern world, Palestinians need justice regarding technology.
Grassroot Empowerment Through NGO’s
ICT technology is a method to create inclusion and narrative sharing while also holding an immense ability to make further divisions within a conflict. An essential aspect of this separation between the capabilities in technology lies in the power ICT infrastructure provides, which can either be used to hold power over or give power to. Where power structures must be shifted to have “internationals’ power over locals is transformed into the internationals’ power to allow locals to own, manage and direct peace efforts.” (Kappler & Tiedis, 80). With peacebuilding still relying on top-down structures, there is an inherent risk of a hegemonic status quo prevailing. The nature of the application of technology comes down instead to who is wielding this power; it is those who have the capabilities and willingness to use technology as a tool that will control the impacts of technology on peace; creating a need for the empowerment of those in the technology industry with a mentality based on peace and equality since technology’s effects on peace are much less about the actual tech and more on how people use it.
Conclusion
Overall, while many organizations are attempting to disrupt the power imbalance within Israel to give power to the people, the issue remains that the government must take action to support the building of peace narratives and give Palestinians more autonomy over their ICT infrastructure. In reality, this shifting of power structures is coming too slowly to combat the demand for peace within the Israel-Palestine conflict. More resources and changes are needed to allow these tech-based peacebuilding organizations to flourish appropriately. Peace can only be established through technology when adequately applied through policy. In the case of Israel, it is being implemented inappropriately. At the same time, many humanitarian organizations can make ripple effects by impacting smaller individuals. However, there is still a need for significant policy changes that allow digital and physical free movement to enable a path where peace can be found.
Haase, Cecelia. 1. Image of power lines and technological infrastructure within the West Bank. 14 June 2022.
Haase, Cecelia. 2. Artwork on the separation barrier wall between Palestinian and Israeli Territories. 14 June 2022.
Haase, Cecelia. 3. View of the city of Jerusalem representing the mix of cultures existing within the Israel-Palestine diaspora. 16 June 2022.
Bibliography
AbuShanab , Anan. “Connection Interrupted .” 7amleh, 7amleh – The Arab Center for the Advancement of Social Media, Dec. 2018, https://7amleh.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Report_7amleh_English_final.pdf.
Kuo, Salina. “An Imperative for the Hybrid Model in Peacebuilding: Moving beyond Dialogue at tech2peace.” Fieldbuilding, 6 Oct. 2021, https://fieldbuilding.org/hybrid-model-peacebuilding-tech2peace/.
Solomon, Glenn. “Israel Is Pumping out Billion-Dollar Software Companies: How It Transformed from Startup Nation into Scale-up Nation.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 30 Sept. 2021, https://www.forbes.com/sites/glennsolomon/2021/09/30/israel-is-pumping-out-billion-dollar-software-companies-how-it-transformed-from-startup-nation-into-scale-up-nation/?sh=4426896373b8.
Tellidis, Ioannis, and Stefanie Kappler. “Information and Communication Technologies in Peacebuilding: Implications, Opportunities and Challenges.” Cooperation and Conflict, vol. 51, no. 1, 2016, pp. 75–93, https://doi.org/10.1177/0010836715603752.
“2017 Global ICT Development Index.” ITU, https://www.itu.int/net4/ITU-D/idi/2017/index.html.