Palestinian Digital Rights Study Group: Big Tech and Genocide

Join us for the latest edition of the Palestinian Digital Rights Study Group in partnership with the Institute for Middle East Understanding to discuss 7amleh’s latest report, which provides an analysis of Big Tech’s complicity in the ongoing genocide in Gaza. 

Throughout the continuing war on Gaza, we have observed how various new technologies are employed by the Israeli army, including “efficient” targeting systems, semi-autonomous drones, and expansive facial-recognition systems, consequently furthering the suffering of the Palestinian people in Gaza. Similarly, we see how various big tech companies have played a role in exacerbating digital rights violations at a time when egregious violations of international humanitarian law and fundamental human rights were already taking place.

Through a moderated panel discussion with experts in the field of business and human rights, digital rights, and Israel Palestine, as well as leaders in the social movement for Palestine, we hope to provide greater clarity in Big Tech’s role in the ongoing events in Israel and Palestine, and what should be done.

Time: Oct. 2nd, 1:00pm New York Time/8:00pm Palestine Time

Registration Link.

Panelists: 

Jalal Abukhater, 7amleh

Jalal Abukhater is a Palestinian writer and rights advocate based in Jerusalem. He holds a Master in Diplomacy from the University of Malta (2020) and an MA (Hons) in Politics & International Relations from the University of Dundee (2016).

Gaya Khandhadai, BHRRC

Gaya joined the Business and Human Rights Resource Centre in February 2022 as the Head of Technology and Human Rights. She is a lawyer with a background in international law and human rights, international and regional human rights mechanisms, research, and advocacy. She previously worked with national and regional human rights groups, focusing on freedom of expression. Her areas of expertise include capacity building, network support, policy advocacy on regulations and adoption of a human rights-based approach to internet governance. She holds an MA in International Law and Human Rights from the University for Peace, Costa Rica and a BA BL (Hons) from the Tamil Nadu Dr. Ambedkar Law University, India.

Abed Ayoub, ADC

Abed A. Ayoub serves as the National Executive Director of the American -Arab Anti- Discrimination Committee (ADC), the country's largest Arab American civil rights organization. Throughout his career Ayoub has worked to address issues impacting Arabs and Muslims in the United States, including matters related to discrimination, immigration, hate crimes, surveillance and profiling. Under his leadership the ADC Legal Department has successfully assisted and provided support to impacted community members across the country. Ayoub also works to enhance the community’s economic empowerment, and access to education. Ayoub is a native of Dearborn, Michigan, which is home to the largest concentration of Arab Americans. Outside of his professional capacity Ayoub works to tackle the issue of hunger and homelessness in the Metro Detroit and Washington, D.C. Areas. He is co-founder of Third Pillar Charities, which provides relief and opportunity for the less fortunate.

Moderator: 

Lara Friedman, FMEP 

Lara is the President of the Foundation for Middle East Peace (FMEP). She is a leading authority on the Middle East, with particular expertise on U.S. foreign policy in the region, on Israel/Palestine, and on the way Middle East and Israel/Palestine-related issues play out in Congress and in U.S. domestic politics, policies, and legislation. Lara is also a preeminent subject-matter expert in the area of anti-Palestinian legislation and “lawfare,” including the weaponization and instrumentalization of the definition of and concerns about antisemitism. Lara’s research on lawfare- and antisemitism-related topics – which she makes available to the public – is widely cited and widely recognized as the authoritative data in the field. Lara is a former officer in the U.S. Foreign Service, with diplomatic postings in Jerusalem, Washington, Tunis and Beirut. She also served previously as the Director of Policy and Government Relations at Americans for Peace Now. In addition to her work with FMEP, Lara is a non-resident fellow at the U.S./Middle East Project (USMEP). She holds a B.A. from the University of Arizona and a Master’s degree from Georgetown’s School of Foreign Service; in addition to English, Lara speaks French, Arabic, Spanish, (weak) Italian, and muddles through in Hebrew.