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Comment by pbiggar | Hacker News Reader

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Redis and Elasticsearch were both built by Israelis, and there is also Israeli code in important projects like the Linux kernel. And of course, also Israeli contributions in closed-source tech like CUDA. Avoiding all of that is a pretty tall order. But if you want to impair your systems by purifying them based on national origin of the contributors, have at it.

In fact Elasticsearch was specifically mentioned as a partner of the "Gaza Humanitarian Foundation", a fake aid org who caused many Palestinians to be killed under their watch. (Elasticsearch denied involvement when I contacted them)

But to be more specific I would narrow it down to avoiding using any tech which Israel could use for surveillance, narrative control, or harm.

Opposing a specific organization for engaging in specific acts is a lot less objectionable than discriminating based on national origin.

We're not basing on national origin, we're basing on specific participation in occupation, which is being done by the Israeli state and army.

To the best of your ability. If you can avoid Israeli tech then do so, if you can't at least you try. Also opensource technology is different because you can verify and audit the tech

One might wonder what computer you are using, I think ZX Spectrum is safe.

Are you suggesting this software will somehow be able to make a phone explode? The pagers weren't just normal pagers with malware, I'm pretty sure they were loaded with actual explosives.

I added more context above to clarify the point I was making (which I thought would be self-evident, but I guess it was a bit more obscure than I thought)

GP self-describes as "Cofounder of Tech for Palestine", so making that sort of mental association is not unexpected.

It's a pretty well established phenomenon and he cites israeli leaders. no need for ad-hominem attacks. What's your argument for allowing spyware?

he cited a single Israeli private citizen. not Israeli leaders.

The fact that a data-harvesting bloatware is installed on common handsets should be controversial enough.

Both the title of this post and the link try to add "Israel is baaaad" angle as just because a company was founded in Israel.

Israel is a middle-eastern tech hub that produces a lot of tech companies and innovations. Its just a numbers game that some of them will be working on things of questionable value to humanity.

What GP suggesting is discriminating against all technologies developed by Israel because of his political views, nothing more.

Yes, software was involved in the pager attacks, and software can be used to overheat and cause malfunction(which in the case of lithium ion can cause explosions, hazardous gases, and fire). Another example of a software-based attack that damages hardware is Stuxnet(there were no explosives either as part of this attack).

Downvoting facts? You might not be thinking about this topic rationally.

well, your facts are wrong, because there were in fact explosives planted in there [1]

1: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024_Lebanon_electronic_device...

FUD and rationalising. We do understand the real reason they don't like it.

By the way, in the Arab world (my reading of "some West Asian and North African markets". Nice euphemism, btw) there isn't the same stigma as in the West so they usually don't feel the need to be cautious and say exactly what they mean, i.e. "the Jews".

100%.

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