While the initial flood has slowed down, users across the region are still encountering a significant number of Israeli profiles on dating apps such as Tinder, Bumble and Grindr. The large Zionist structure of colonial violence has many arms. It employs anything it can to stifle Palestinian existence. Understandably, the sudden appearance of Israelis on dating apps in the MENA region raises suspicion about whether this is another attempt to infiltrate and collect data to feed the project further.
Resulting fear reverberated throughout the region, as the Israeli occupation has a known track record of using spyware and rigorous surveillance, which has increased significantly in the region since Israel began its genocidal campaign on Gaza after the Al-Aqsa Flood on October 7. Pegasus β spyware made by Israel-based cybersecurity company NSO Group β has been used in the past to target the phones of activists, rights workers, and journalists.
Despite different geographic realities and online access, these conversations reveal patterns about the occupation and militarization of Palestine. In all, this case reflects the ability of Zionism to contort and manifest in digital and in-person spaces, and raises concerns about digital security and surveillance. He attributed this to the surge of settlers from other areas like Tel Aviv to Jerusalem to seek academic or work opportunities.
Explaining the significance of geographic location on Palestinian experience with the colonizer, Amr added:. I am from Jerusalem, therefore I am a Palestinian citizen. The reality of the rampant military violence in occupied Jerusalem is reflected on the app through language and visual cues. He has even seen memes and jokes about Israeli men pretending to wear the uniform so they can have greater sexual opportunities with women.
While the prevalence of these linguistic and visual cues have recently increased, Amr clarified that signals of sexual desire and desirability linked with military service and outfits have always been present. This is especially true for queer people, who already use the app with caution. Israeli profiles were only visible when traveling to Sinai, and they would still be hundreds of kilometers away. The addition of the Israeli accounts have added another layer of a fear of exposure and danger when using the apps.
