Topic: Sending BTCs to Gaza? (Read 3583 times)

Does Israel have a bitcoin address? So we can donate

I love the potential of Bitcoin to circumnavigate governments' restrictions on what you can and can't do with your money.  However, right now in instances such as the Palestinian situation I'm far from convinced it's a good idea.

I'm not telling anybody not to do it but I think the following considerations should be taken very seriously:

i) The history of militant/terrorist/liberation movements tells us corruption is likely to be the modus operandi in such circumstances.  I can't comment about the particular Gaza situation but tools such as protection rackets and the commandeering of private property and assets are the kind of things I would expect to see.  There is more than a small chance that any Bitcoin contributed would end in the hands of those who would use it for arms etc. If that's  your intention that's one thing.  But unless you're really confident in the person/organisation to which you're contributing (i.e. have verified their integrity by trusted third parties) I'd be very wary of the likelihood of your contribution not serving the well-meaning purpose you'd intended.

ii) Israel and its powerful allies, not least the US, aren't particularly fond of people attempting to circumnavigate the decisions they have made - such as the embago - which they believe to be in the best interest of their people.  To do this is I believe painting a massive target on Bitcoin WAAAY too early.  Bitcoin may well be much more distributed, used and secure than it was this time last year but on the big scale of things it's tiny and still in my opinion vulnerable to having much of its life blood squished out of it should the powers that be decide it's not in their interest to let the experiment continue.  

Whether and when an attempt is made to criminalise Bitcoin or to put such obstacles in place to make widespread use very unlikely one thing that will count for a lot is how it is viewed in the public eye.  The WordPress thing helps enormously as would things like seeing its use in bringing communities out of poverty by facilitating trading (see my charity proposal thread).  A lot of this is just going to keep happening with time with Bitcoin getting more resilient to a large attack the whole while.

But for now my preference, despite the plight of those currently suffering in situations such as Gaza, is that we each of us hold back from using Bitcoin for such controversial uses unless we absolutely feel it would be wrong to withhold our assistance and we have a realistic idea of its chances of getting to its intended beneficiaries.

You make a very good point... This same sort of thing happens throughout history. Government changes or becomes oppressive and citizens choose to leave rather than live there. The problem with palestine is that it wasn't ever a nation, the people aren't even considered refugees... and none of the muslim nations want to take over their care and feeding.

Basically the only place someone from gaza could go is egypt, and only their person, no goods. Israel manages and allows the import of all types of civilian goods, food, etc... but doesn't allow industrial anything that could be used to make weapons (for obvious reasons).

No, what they need to do is stop making war and become peaceful. Israel doesn't become aggressive unless provoked. Almost anyone who's ever visited the region is amazed by the restraint of the IDF...

Lets try it from another direction... say that Mexicans were shooting ordinance over the border and trying to hit El Paso, Texas. Exactly how long do you think it would take the US to invade? I promise you that it would either be carpet bombing or an immediate ground war, starting just after the second launch.

Gaza has constantly been the staging ground for attempts to kill citizens of Isreal.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Palestinian_rocket_attacks_on_Israel,_2012


Imagine any other Nation that would suffer more than 1500 launches and still allow the place they came from to exist.

Gtfo is what people in eastern European countries did after USSR fell apart. That includes my whole family.
So, when you live in a country where to the north and east you have Israel that keeps invading you, to the south you have Egypt that gives zero fucks about you, and within the country there is an extremist religious Hamas government that kills you for not following their bullshit religious prohibitions, why wouldn't anyone with any brains try to get out by any means necessary? Please enlighten me so I won't be so ignorant.

I see the point about more money with not more production, but I also believe that services and goods will go to where money is...

the original question doesnt make that much sense. bitcoins dont have a location.

Congratulations, your ignorance is spectacular.  

gaza people are using shitty $1000 rockets to try and fight israel. they need some more serious equipment. maybe with bitcoin they could fund the development of something with a guidance system.

Is there anyone still living in Gaza who is not involved in wanting to bring down Israel and wishes death to America? I figured since that place is so awful, anyone with any brains has long since gtfo out of there?

Yeah I'm still waiting to be able to visit the US as a tourist. Too much Insh'allah from presidential candidates, elected presidents, congress ... pretty much the entire populace actually.

(Insha'allah means the same as 'God willing', and since all Abrahamic religions have the same god - that's Christianity, Judaism and Islam - it's in effect a non-secular call for submission to the very same deity)

Anyway, on topic: Excellent question, and if a successful route can be found it would bring BTC awareness to a large group of people. Bitcoin services should build upon strengths of Bitcoin, and not being hindered by US so called "terrorist lists" is indeed one of them.

Find me a *secular* Gaza based charity which accepts BTC ... and I'll donate.
I'll be waiting a while I guess.

I'm guessing most are Islamist, and on various 'terrorism' lists.
Not that some politician's/civil service's 'terrorism' list should really be a disincentive to BTC-wielding free thinkers - but I'll save my 'historyless' bitcoins for things that are more clearly not going to add to turmoil.

Gaza people usually can buy things from Egypt, using underground tunnels.
With more money they can buy more things

What would that accomplish?

An increase in the (local) money supply without an increase in production simply results in price inflation.

With the war and the israelian embargo I think that now nobody can send money to Gaza in a traditional way.

Bitcoin could cross the borders with no problem, in gaza PC and mobile-phone are used.

Is there some Gaza hospital or organization accepting BTCs? Do you know someone who lives there who could be interested in that?
I think this is the only way to help them without going there.