From invasive surveillance systems to social media censorship, Israeli violations of Palestinians’ digital rights have increased, especially since the 2021 Unity Intifada and the rise in global solidarity with Palestinians. Which local, regional, and global factors are impacting this troubling development? What role does Israel play in activating and circulating these repressive mechanisms? Are there positive aspects to these realities which could be employed in movement building?

Join Al-Shabaka policy analyst Nadim Nashif and digital rights activist Raya Sharbain for a discussion with host Nadim Bawalsa about resisting the repression of digital rights in Palestine and beyond.

Nadim Nashif is a social entrepreneur and digital rights defender. He is also the founder and General Director of 7amleh - The Arab Center for the Advancement of Social Media, a Palestinian digital rights organization, and co-founder of Wusul Digital Academy, a digital marketing educational center. For the past 20 years, Nadim has worked on youth and community development issues including founding and directing Baladna, The Association for Arab Youth.

Raya Sharbain works with the Tor Project and the Jordan Open Source Association. She works to promote digital rights and supports journalists and defenders with digital security. She holds a Master’s in Human-Computer Interaction from University College London.

Nadim Bawalsa is Al-Shabaka’s Commissioning Editor. He is a historian of modern Palestine and has written on the emergence of Palestinian diaspora communities across Latin America in the early twentieth century.

About the Policy Lab Program: Al-Shabaka's Policy Lab Program is an online live-stream space where audiences can engage directly with expert analysts from our nearly 200-member network as they craft policies and strategies related to Palestine. The labs are free and open for public participation, inviting viewers to join in on policy discussions.

Note: This discussion will take place in English. Our policy labs are supported through the generosity of donors. They are free to attend, though we accept contributions on a sliding scale upon registration to help sustain the program.

The opinions of individual members of Al-Shabaka’s policy network do not necessarily reflect the views of the organization as a whole.

Resisting Digital Repression in Palestine and Beyond