Check out our digital rights weekly update

Weekly Update 25 November - 01 “December”

1.

7amleh Center publishes a research entitled "Violating Network" on gender-based violence in the Palestinian digital space (English)

7amleh

7amleh -  The Arab Center for the Advancement of Social Media launched a new research entitled "Gender Violence in the Palestinian Digital Space", which aims to understand and analyze the phenomenon of digital violence against women, and to monitor gender-based violence in the digital space. The research also analyzes the phenomenon of cyber violence in the Palestinian context in terms of causes, impact and repercussions, in an attempt to explore concrete and practical recommendations to combat and limit it. The research highlights the need to ensure a safe, fair and free digital space for all by ensuring the preservation of the digital rights of individuals, which are considered an extension of human rights in reality (Palestinians in this context). It is also necessary to know the scope of the reflection of gender-based violence practiced in the digital space, and the extent of its impact on gender-based violence committed on the ground.

2.

Tech companies work with Israeli military, aid rights violation, colonization of Palestinians: Activist (English)

Press TV

A Palestinian activist has said that tech companies including Amazon and Google, are working with the Israeli military, and aiding in human rights violations and the colonization of the Palestinian people. Huda Ammori, a co-founder of the direct action network Palestine Action, was making a reference to Project Nimbus during Press TV's Palestine Declassified, aired on Sunday. The notorious Project Nimbus is  Google’s $1.2bn artificial intelligence and surveillance contract with Amazon and the Israeli military.

3.

Israel is disappointed to be losing the narrative battle to the Palestinians (English)

MEMO

Despite Israel's lethal military capabilities, it is still bitterly disappointed to be losing the narrative battle to the Palestinians, who are making significant inroads in terms of international public opinion. Several incidents illustrate where Israel has failed on the diplomatic and media fronts. One of those was the Israeli commando assault on the Freedom Flotilla led by the Mavi Marmara heading for Gaza in 2010 to break the blockade. The incident was a double failure for Israel, which admitted that it did not expect to find dozens of activists on board the ship. Although it wasn't allowed to reach Gaza, the flotilla achieved its goal by identifying with the Palestinians and delegitimising Israel by revealing its hijacking of the flotilla in international waters. Absurd and illegal Israeli behaviour has been exposed with images of soldiers of the occupation state shooting innocent Palestinian civilians.

4.

Pegasus spyware inquiry targeted by disinformation campaign, say experts (English)

The Guardian

Victims of spyware and a group of security experts have privately warned that a European parliament investigatory committee risks being thrown off course by an alleged “disinformation campaign”. The warning, contained in a letter to MEPs signed by the victims, academics and some of the world’s most renowned surveillance experts, followed news last week that two individuals accused of trying to discredit widely accepted evidence in spyware cases in Spain had been invited to appear before the committee investigating abuse of hacking software.