HAPPY BIRTHDAY INTERNET SOCIETY !

CHAPTER IV "THINK GLOBALLY AND ACT LOCALLY"

4.4 ITALY'S SUPPORT TO ACTIVATE ccTLD REGISTRIES

Palestina
Palestine
Stefano Trumpy
  • The code ".ps" for the Palestinian Territories was included in October 1999 in the United Nations ISO 3166 list, which assigns each nation a country code, even though the Palestinian Territories was not an independent state (still the case today); this was a significant political step towards recognition of the state, even though the territories were still legally within the state of Israel.
  • The registry was therefore assigned to the future Palestinian state but needed to be organized and made operational. The USAID (United States Agency for International Development), working through the DAI (Development Alternatives Inc.) office in Washington, commissioned a study for management of the domain ".ps", based on reliable business, marketing and financial criteria for an initial period of three years.
  • Along with me, USAID engaged Robert Krause (USA). This was in the first months of 2000: my presence, over and above the experience I had of years managing the domain ".it", would make the initiative more politically acceptable to the Palestinian Territories than one involving only the U.S.
  • After some months preparatory work, I visited Jerusalem (project's headquarters), Ramallah, Birzeit and Gaza in the month of June; the Palestinians immediately questioned the reason for my presence in a venture financed by the US government and I explained why I thought it was important to promote an independent presence of the Palestinian Territories in the Internet community.
  • Italy was also seen as a European country sympathetic to the Palestinian cause and I had no difficulties in being accepted as an ally.
  • During the mission I participated in a busy series of meetings with key figures, from the research and academic environment, the private sector and the government.
  • I travelled several times from Jerusalem to Ramallah, not far from Arafat's headquarters, the journey by car interrupted frequently by road blocks and controls, but this was nothing compared to the controls before entering Gaza.
  • On my return to Italy, together with Robert Krause I drew up our final report which was sent to the Palestinian Minister for Planning and International Co-Operation, Nabil Shaath, a refined person I had had the pleasure of meeting.
  • The business plan for the first three years of the registry envisaged the creation of a centre of excellence which would gather and combine inputs from the local Internet community, and ensure state-of-the-art technological and administrative experience, and non only for management of the registry.
  • The Palestinians submitted a request for registry activation to ICANN, with our study attached and the registry became operationally active.
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