The Application of IHL on Israeli’s Cyber Strategies Against the Palestinians

• In Event: Human Rights, Migrants, and the Law

Abstract

Cyberwarfare is becoming one of the critical issues for policymakers and military leaders around the world. The potential humanitarian impact of cyber operations on the civilian population is enormous. Therefore, it is essential to talk about international humanitarian law (IHL) governing such operations because one of its main objectives is to protect the civilian population. This paper examines the militarization of cyberspace in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. On a per-capita basis, Israel has more tech startups, scientists, and professionals than any other country in the world. Israel cybersecurity exports account for anything between 5-10% of the global cybersecurity market in terms of actual sales. The majority of this innovation is spearheaded by previous Unit 8200, which is responsible for intelligence gathering—their businesses profits from the incubator provided by the Israeli state’s repression of Palestinians. Since the October 2015 uprising, the Israeli regime has intensified its prosecution of Palestinian digital users. The repressive Israeli policy against Palestinian digital rights has narrowed the online sphere censoring the right to free speech and expression; thus, shifting the role of these digital platforms from a tool to strengthen freedom of expression and rights to open arenas for prosecution and suppression. This article explores how Israeli cybersecurity strategies produce cyberspace characterized by territorial annexation, occupation, and blockade.

Author

• Anwar Mhajne, Stonehill College