Joint Is / Pal Web Firm Rare +++ Development

It's not often that we see ANYTHING positive in the pathetic and annoying situation of Israel / Palestine,

but this article in the Times about a Web-based start-up that has offices in both Ramallah and Modi'in, which keep in touch via a continually open video hook-up link,

is indeed one of those rare phenomena that deserves to be noticed and celebrated ...

For me, the key thing is the willingness of the Palestinians to be involved in a joint venture with Israelis ...

Why ???

Because granting all the disgusting things that Israel has done to the Palestinians, especially over the last 30 years or so,

the saddest thing FOR the Palestinians has been their incessant "looking backwards,"

and refusal to realize that, in fact, they COULD look at Israel --

or, at least the now-equally-sadly-rare-best aspects of Israel, which grow ever smaller and weaker with each passing day --

as a bridge to the rest of the world which could be of benefit to THEM,

in the way, for example, that Abu Dhabi / Dubai / Qatar / Bahrain and other members of the Gulf Co-Operation Council area have done ...

The Palestinian obsession with the past -- and with their near-total commitment to seeing themselves almost SOLELY as victim of the Israelis -- has been the most disheartening aspect of THEIR side of this boring-20-years-already conflict ...

So it's nice to see that -- revolting obstacles like the Israeli wall, which actually does separate the two offices of the company, aside -- there are at least SOME Palestinians who realize that there is something FOR THEM in taking a different stance towards Israel ...

“It’s good we are learning from the Israeli side now,” [Yusuf] Ghandour [ a project manager  ] said.

The Israelis, he said, “are open to the external world, and there is lots of venture capital investment in Israel, and now we are bringing that to Palestine.”

The departure of educated young people mostly to neighboring Jordan and the Persian Gulf states is a major problem for the Palestinian economy and has been especially damaging to its technology industry. ...

Political tensions make it somewhat unpopular for Palestinians to do business with Israelis, said Ala Alaeddin, chairman of the Palestinian Information Technology Association.

He said the concept of a technology joint venture across the divide was unheard-of until G.ho.st opened its doors.

A handful of Palestinian tech companies handle outsourced work for Israeli companies, but most focus on the local or Middle Eastern market.

“It’s much easier to have outsourcing than a partnership,” Mr. Alaeddin said. “A joint venture is a long-term commitment, and you need both sides to be really confident that this kind of agreement will work.”

Which, when you think about it, is kind of the point that might be considered in the bigger picture -- by BOTH sides ... ;-) ...