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Message: <br /><br /> If you are having trouble reading this email, you may view this article online at: http://www.jweekly.com/18174/full/18174/middle-east-conflict-puts-inter-fada-on-the-web/ <br /><br /> <b>Middle East conflict puts ‘Inter-fada’ on the Web</b> <br /> Friday, July 26, 2002 | by <p>Mark Mietkiewicz </p> <br /><br /><p>Anyone armed with a keyboard, a modem and knowledge of the Internet's HTML language can be a participant in the Mideast conflict. For most people that means using legitimate Web sites, petitions and discussion areas to try to sway public opinion. Others are using sophisticated techniques to hack into computers, deface Web sites and disrupt the flow of data.<br /><br /> Today, a look at "cyberterrorism," "hacktivism" and the "Inter-fada."<br /><br /> According to WiredNews—<a href="http://www.wired.com/news/politics/0,1283,40030,00.html">http://www.wired.com/news/politics/0,1283,40030,00.html</a>—in October 2000, when the Israeli/Palestinian cyberconflict moved into full swing, pro-Palestinian hackers defaced at least 40 Israeli sites including the Bank of Israel and the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange while Israeli antagonists marred 15 Palestinian sites. Analyst James Adams said the attacks between Palestinians and Israelis are "just a taste of things to come…Their weapon of choice, the laptop, is easily available, and the ammunition, viruses and hacking programs, is free on the Internet."<br /><br /> According to USA Today, the Israel Defense Forces, Knesset and Foreign Ministry Web sites have also been attacked, as has the Hezbollah site. Read the USA Today article at <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/life/cyber/tech/cti723.htm">http://www.usatoday.com/life/cyber/tech/cti723.htm</a> The Hezbollah site, the article says, "was successfully penetrated by a hacker who replaced its blistering anti-Israel rhetoric with a rippling Israeli flag and a soundtrack of 'Hatikvah,' the Israeli national anthem." On another occasion, visitors expecting to reach the Hamas home page, were diverted to a hard-core pornography site. Read about this on the BBC Web site: <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/">http://news.bbc.co.uk/</a> hi/english/world/middle_east/ newsid_1207000/1207551.stm<br /><br /> Wired News—<a href="http://www.wired.com/news/infostructure/0,1377,40449,00.html">http://www.wired.com/news/infostructure/0,1377,40449,00.html</a>—tells of a site that is distributing information and viruses to destroy Israeli Web sites. "Visitors to the site are greeted with the message, 'I swear that I will not use these programs on anyone but Jews and Israelis.' The site comes complete with a list of directions on how to use the attack tools."<br /><br /> The FBI's National Infrastructure Protection Center—<a href="http://www.nipc.gov/warnings/advisories/2000/00-058.htm">http://www.nipc.gov/warnings/advisories/2000/00-058.htm</a>—monitors this kind of activity. It reported attacks on Palestinian- and Israeli-related Web sites in addition to one against AIPAC-American-Israel Public Affairs Committee that included theft of personal data, including credit card information. The NIPC site warned: "It is anticipated that as the conflict in the Middle East continues, the level and severity of cyber attacks being experienced may escalate and expand."<br /><br /> Although the Internet has always been a breeding ground for hate, the Simon Wiesenthal Center recently noted some disturbing new trends in its report "Digital Hate 2002." "The biggest difference now is that we're seeing more Web sites enlisting suicide bombers and those that validate or encourage terrorism and more games targeting minorities," said Rabbi Abraham Cooper, an associate dean of the center. Read more about the report at <a href="http://whatpc.co.uk/News/1133360">http://whatpc.co.uk/News/1133360</a> The conflict on the Internet takes some other interesting tactics. For example, let's say you want to find a site run by the Tanzim militia, the armed wing of Fatah, a faction of the Palestine Liberation Organization. You could go to the very popular search engine Google—<a href="http://www.google.com">http://www.google.com</a>—and type in "Tanzim." You would be directed to Tanzim.net which appears to be run by the militia at <a href="http://www.tanzim.net">http://www.tanzim.net</a> But look closely and you will find the headline "Pictures of our activities involved in mass killing" and an article titled "How to train Arab children to become martyrs." The site, clearly, is being produced by opponents of the Tanzim. I could not find an English-language site run actually run by the Tanzim. Next week, a look at online boycotts and the battle over Internet polling.<br /><br /> The writer is a Toronto-based television producer who writes, lectures and teaches about the Jewish Internet. He can be reached at <a href="mailto:highway@rogers.com">highway@rogers.com</a></p> <p> </p>

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