[Chapter-delegates] Internet Shutdown in Gaza : Request for ISOC's Position

Sun Nov 19 11:22:19 PST 2023

Dear ISOC community and Chapter Delegates,

As we extend our deepest sympathies to all innocent civilians affected, we
urge the ISOC community and Chapter Delegates to approach this issue with a
heightened sense of responsibility and discernment

ISOC's Shutdown-Statement
<https://pulse.internetsociety.org/shutdown-statement> and Policy Briefings
<https://www.internetsociety.org/policybriefs/internet-shutdowns/> define
Internet Shutdown as a "disproportional reaction that often only hides –
instead of solving – a perceived problem, and can result in significant
collateral damage". The horrors that Hamas unleashed on October 7 surpass
anything Israel and the Palestinian-Israeli conflict have ever seen. In
only one day, with remarkable organization and precision, Hamas and
Palestinian militants from Gaza slaughtered, raped, and mutilated
<https://edition.cnn.com/videos/world/2023/10/30/morgue-burial-israel-hamas-attack-pkg-sidner-lead-vpx.cnn>
at least 1,200 people (including women, babies and the elderly), severely
injured over 4,500, and abducted more than 240 hostages
<https://www.ynetnews.com/article/bynldsc11p>, almost all of them
civilians, including people with disabilities, chronic diseases, children,
grandparents and even a 9-month-old baby
<https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/09/world/middleeast/hamas-hostages-israel-gaza.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare>
.

With this context in mind, the professional community and the Internet
Society cannot simplistically address the Gaza Internet disruptions as an
“Internet Shutdown”, which fails to capture the full scope of the crisis,
both in factual accuracy and in acknowledging the depth of the humanitarian
impacts which are far beyond Internet access issues.  As a matter of
facts, recent
data
<https://ioda.inetintel.cc.gatech.edu/region/1226?from=1695999414&until=1699973814>
shows only temporary disruptions, in parallel to the ongoing physical
warfare to retrieve the hundreds of hostages taken from Israel to Gaza
which are still completely cut off from the Red Cross
<https://www.who.int/news/item/25-10-2023-who-calls-for-immediate-release--access-to--and-medical-support-for-hostages-taken-by-hamas>
.

Sincerely, and with hope for better days for all in our troubled region,

ISOC-IL Team

(More information for the International Internet community is available here
<https://en.isoc.org.il/about/news-room>)

‫בתאריך יום א׳, 19 בנוב׳ 2023 ב-19:59 מאת ‪Nazar Nicholas via
Chapter-delegates‬‏ <‪chapter-delegates at elists.isoc.org‬‏>:‬

> Dear Mike,
>
> The position of ISOC on Internet about shutdowns or restrictions is known
> BUT in thing as big as Israel- Hamas war where ordinary people in Gaza are
> caught in the conflict; I really MUST invite ISOC to release a statement of
> condemnation to reinforce its stand on Internet shutdowns or restrictions.
>
> Nazarius aka Nazar
>
> On Sun, 19 Nov 2023 at 18:48 Mike Godwin via Chapter-delegates <
> chapter-delegates at elists.isoc.org> wrote:
>
>> ISOC already has taken a position against internet shutdowns, and in
>> support of internet access as a basic necessity and right--see, e.g.,
>> https://www.internetsociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/ISOC-PolicyBrief-Shutdowns-2019.pdf
>> .
>>
>> My personal view is that  it is both (a) consistent with ISOC's
>> longstanding positions and (b) necessary for humanitarian reasons that ISOC
>> take note of and condemn the targeting of infrastructure that has led to
>> shutdown of internet access in Gaza.
>>
>> Mike Godwin
>> Member, Chapter Council, ISOC-DC
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> On Sun, Nov 19, 2023 at 9:53 AM Johan Helsingius via Chapter-delegates <
>> chapter-delegates at elists.isoc.org> wrote:
>>
>>> Dear ISOC Palestine,
>>>
>>> I agree that the ISOC community should clearly condemn the use of
>>> the internet as a war tool. In this specific case I still have to
>>> ask if we have sufficient evidence that the Internet outages are
>>> a result of deliberate shutdowns rather than collateral damage
>>> from general actions of war.
>>>
>>>         Julf
>>>
>>>
>>> On 19/11/2023 10:11, ISOC Palestine via Chapter-delegates wrote:
>>> > Dear ISOC community,
>>> >
>>> > This past weekend, the internet in Gaza was completely disconnected,
>>> > impacting all communication services for two days. This disconnection
>>> > has serious implications for basic human rights, safety, and the
>>> > livelihoods of Gaza residents. This marks the fourth internet shutdown
>>> > in the last 40 days, attributed to three main reasons:
>>> >
>>> > 1. Destruction of over 70% of communication infrastructure due to
>>> > bombings by the Airforce and tanks.
>>> >
>>> > 2. Prevention of the entry of any diesel, leading to no electricity or
>>> > power sources for essential communication services.
>>> >
>>> > 3. A political decision from Israeli officials, who control the
>>> > international gateway of Palestine.
>>> >
>>> > *In the last 40 days, the ISOC community's position does not meet what
>>> > is expected regarding this intentional shutdown, which violates the
>>> ISOC
>>> > objectives and vision. We urge.*
>>> >
>>> > On the other side, we are surprised to observe that some ISOC members
>>> > and chapters support this internet shutdown and promote it on their
>>> > official websites.
>>> >
>>> > Please note that we do not want to discuss the political issues behind
>>> > this conflict, which started 75 years ago, as this is not a political
>>> > platform.
>>> >
>>> > *Internet Society *
>>> >
>>> > *Palestine Chapter*
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > _______________________________________________
>>> > As an Internet Society Chapter Officer you are automatically subscribed
>>> > to this list, which is regularly synchronized with the Internet
>>> Society Chapter Portal (AMS):
>>> > https://admin.internetsociety.org/622619/User/Login
>>> > View the Internet Society Code of Conduct:
>>> https://www.internetsociety.org/become-a-member/code-of-conduct/
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> As an Internet Society Chapter Officer you are automatically subscribed
>>> to this list, which is regularly synchronized with the Internet Society
>>> Chapter Portal (AMS):
>>> https://admin.internetsociety.org/622619/User/Login
>>> View the Internet Society Code of Conduct:
>>> https://www.internetsociety.org/become-a-member/code-of-conduct/
>>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> As an Internet Society Chapter Officer you are automatically subscribed
>> to this list, which is regularly synchronized with the Internet Society
>> Chapter Portal (AMS):
>> https://admin.internetsociety.org/622619/User/Login
>> View the Internet Society Code of Conduct:
>> https://www.internetsociety.org/become-a-member/code-of-conduct/
>>
> --
> *Nazar Nicholas Kirama*
> President& Chief Executive Officer
> Internet Society Tanzania Chapter (ISOC-Tz)
> *...................................................................*
> *National Coordinator *
> *Tanzania Internet Governance Forum (TzIGF)*
> *......................................*
> *"Internet i**s for Everyone"*
>
> ICT Consultant & Trainer
> IEEE Member#96674695
> Certified Business Coach (ICF)
>
> T:+255 784 220 877 | +255 748 282 888
> E:nnicholaski at gmail.com <E%3Annicholaski at gmail.com>
>
> *Professional Affiliations: **||IEEE: Membership#96674695**||ICANN|| Web
> Foundation|| IGF|| Article 19Foundation||**Entrepreneurs Wealth Academy||
> Tanzania Federation of Green Revolution|| AFRINIC Advocate*
> ______________________________________________
> *Clubs/Associations Affiliation: Founder Member of Roots&Shoots-**The Dr.
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> Internet Society**,**International Coaching Federation.*
> ______________________________________
> *Joshua1:8 @**Haggai 2:8 **@Deuteronomy 8:17-18*
>
>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> As an Internet Society Chapter Officer you are automatically subscribed
> to this list, which is regularly synchronized with the Internet Society
> Chapter Portal (AMS):
> https://admin.internetsociety.org/622619/User/Login
> View the Internet Society Code of Conduct:
> https://www.internetsociety.org/become-a-member/code-of-conduct/
>

-- 
*ד"ר אסף וינר | סמנכ"ל רגולציה ומדיניות | איגוד האינטרנט הישראלי*
* Dr. Asaf Wiener** | VP Regulation & Policy** | *
*Israel Internet Association ISOC-IL*
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