Digital Jihad: Palestinian Resistance in the Digital Era

by Erik Skare

Overview

A new and innovative form of dissent has emerged in response to the Israeli occupation of Palestine. Dubbed "electronic jihad", this approach has seen organized groups of Palestinian hackers make international headlines by breaching the security of such sites as the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange, AVG, Avira, Whatsapp, and BitDefender. Though initially confined to small clandestine groups, "hacktivism" is now increasingly being adopted by militant Palestinian parties, including Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, who have gone so far as to incorporate hackers into their armed brigades.

Digital Jihad is the first book to explore this rapidly evolving and still little understood aspect of the Palestinian resistance movement. Drawing on extensive interviews with hackers and other activists, it provides a unique and fascinating new perspective on the Palestinian struggle.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781783607846
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	10/15/2016
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	240
Product dimensions:	5.30(w) x 8.40(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Erik Skare is an activist and editor for the pro-Palestinian website Infofada. He is also the author (in Norwegian) of Palestine: A Political Travel Guide.
Erik Skare is an activist and editor for the pro-Palestinian website Infofada. He is also the author (in Norwegian) of Palestine: A Political Travel Guide.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments ix

Editorial note xiii

Prologue xv

Introduction 1

Part I Heading for the Military-Digital Complex

1 The resistance develops 13

2 The shahid and the normalization of occupation 23

3 A digital fortress: The Israeli military-digital complex 31

4 The istishhadi and the emergence of Palestinian electronic jihad 51

Part II Palestine 2.0 and the New Cyber-Warriors

5 Gaza Hacker Team: Electronic jihadists and script kiddies 65

6 From the nation to the umma 87

7 Islamic Jihad and Hamas: The Palestinian cyber-brigades 111

8 Does matter really matter? Palestinian ambivalence about electronic jihad 131

Part III When the Guns Fall Silent

9 A continuation of the armed struggle? 149

10 Final thoughts 167

Epilogue 183

Notes 187

Index 212

Editorial Reviews

Digital Jihad is an excellent discussion of the history and development of Palestinian activism ... useful for classes on resistance, activism, and conflict in the Middle East, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, youth movements, and cyber security.” —Review of Middle East Studies

“Is the hacktivist the new historical subject of Palestinian liberation? The hackers believe they're beyond politics, while the older, traditional freedom fighters are sceptical about the value of virtual conflict. It is this analysis of these divergences that makes Digital Jihad a vital read.” —VICE

“This groundbreaking book takes us into the secret world of Palestinian hacktivism. Through a series of in-depth interviews, Skare presents a well-balanced and original account of Palestinian hacktivists, their ideology and role in the resistance.” —Anne Stenersen, Director of Terrorism Research, Norwegian Defence Research Establishment

“Hacking and hackers may nab major headlines, but concrete knowledge about this domain is still scant. Digital Jihad has helped fill this glaring gap. A well-researched and accessible mediation on Palestinian hacktivism.” —Gabriella Coleman, author of Hacker, Hoaxer, Whistleblower, Spy: The Many Faces of Anonymous

“This excellent book provides a fascinating insight into the new generation of young Palestinians and their daily battle in cyberspace for the liberation of Palestine. A must read for anyone who wants to understand future trends in the evergreen Palestine conflict.” —Ilan Pappé, editor of Israel and South Africa: The Many Faces of Apartheid

“An impressively engaging account of how 'facts on the ground' are being reverse-engineered, in true hacker style, to 'questions in cyberspace'. A fascinating exploration of the complex inter-weaving of both the social and technical aspects of an ever-evolving conflict.” —Paul Taylor, author of Hacktivism and Cyberwars: Rebels with a Cause?

“In his stunning and engaging new book, Erik Skare reveals how the Palestinian struggle has adapted to an era of instant and nearly ubiquitous communication that has spawned hacktivism as a major force for those challenging the status quo. An original and trailblazing study, this is a must read.” —Robert W. McChesney, co-author of People Get Ready: The Fight Against a Jobless Economy and a Citizenless Democracy

From the Publisher

“Hacking and hackers may nab major headlines, but concrete knowledge about this domain is still scant. Digital Jihad has helped fill this glaring gap. A well-researched and accessible meditation on Palestinian hacktivism.

Gabriella Coleman

“Digital Jihad is an excellent discussion of the history and development of Palestinian activism . . . useful for classes on resistance, activism, and conflict in the Middle East, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, youth movements, and cyber security.

Review of Middle East Studies

“In his stunning and engaging new book, Erik Skare reveals how the Palestinian struggle has adapted to an era of instant and nearly ubiquitous communication that has spawned hacktivism as a major force for those challenging the status quo. An original and trailblazing study, this is a must read.

coauthor of People Get Ready: The Fight Agains Robert W. McChesney

“An impressively engaging account of how ‘facts on the ground’ are being reverse-engineered, in true hacker style, to ‘questions in cyberspace.’ A fascinating exploration of the complex interweaving of both the social and technical aspects of an ever-evolving conflict.

author of Hacktivism Paul Taylor

“An impressively engaging account of how ‘facts on the ground’ are being reverse-engineered, in true hacker style, to ‘questions in cyberspace.’ A fascinating exploration of the complex interweaving of both the social and technical aspects of an ever-evolving conflict.

author of Hacktivism and Cyberwars: Rebels wit Paul Taylor

In his stunning and engaging new book, Erik Skare reveals how the Palestinian struggle has adapted to an era of instant and nearly ubiquitous communication that has spawned hacktivism as a major force for those challenging the status quo. An original and trailblazing study, this is a must read.”

co-author of People Get Ready: The Fight Again Robert W. McChesney

In his stunning and engaging new book, Erik Skare reveals how the Palestinian struggle has adapted to an era of instant and nearly ubiquitous communication that has spawned hacktivism as a major force for those challenging the status quo. An original and trailblazing study, this is a must read.”

Robert W. McChesney

“Skare focuses on the Gaza Hacker Team (GHT). He discovers their objectives, concrete and symbolic: inflicting damage on Israel’s financial infrastructure, disrupting daily life by disabling services and propagandizing the Palestinian cause on Israeli websites. Like many online, GHT is deluded about its strength. Is the hacktivist the new historical subject of Palestinian liberation? The hackers believe they’re beyond politics, while the older, traditional freedom fighters are skeptical about the value of virtual conflict. It is this analysis of these divergences that makes Digital Jihad a vital read.

Vice

“This groundbreaking book takes us into the secret world of Palestinian hacktivism. Through a series of in-depth interviews, Skare presents a well-balanced and original account of Palestinian hacktivists, their ideology, and role in the resistance.

Anne Stenersen

“This excellent book provides a fascinating insight into the new generation of young Palestinians and their daily battle in cyberspace for the liberation of Palestine. A must read for anyone who wants to understand future trends in the evergreen Palestine conflict.

editor of Israel and South Africa: The Many Fa Ilan Pappé