Qatar-Israel cooperation threatens Palestinian Hi-Tech sector

Posted by Israel Industries press review of the week on mai 6th, 2013

 Palestinians in the Hi-Tech sector are furious about the news of possible cooperation between Qatar and Israel in that sector. Qatar is reportedly seeking Israel’s help to build its own Hi-Tech sector.

With 8 percent contribution to the G-D-P, the Hi-tech sector in Palestine is set to expand. Economists now hope that it will provide a much needed boost to the Palestinian job market. The Information and Technology sector has already employed more than 15-thousand professionals.

According to a Cisco Systems manager in Israel, optimism is matched by good and hard work. Gai Hetzroni spoke highly of Palestinian Hi-Tech professionals.

This emerging sector, however, is dealing with some challenges. A recently-published article in Calcalist, an Israeli business news website says that Qatar is becoming a technology hub in the region. The same article says that a Qatari Prince will visit Israel in November.

Qatar wants to lure Israel’s Hi-Tech to outsource in Qatar instead of India and East Europe. Quite ambitious, right? Given that currently Qatar has no Hi- Tech talent of it’s own. But how will they do it? and how does this affect Palestine’s Hi-Tech sector?

Bad news says our friend from CISCO.

For an emerging sector or any other, an outward migration of talent combined with loss of market share due to competition, may cause serious challenges and cast doubts on it’s ability to survive.
Palestinians were quick to warn and condemn Qatar for it’s relations with Israel.

If the Qataris go forward with their plans, then this means that the next few years for the Palestinian Hi-tech sector will be about devising strategy to remain in the market and competing with success.