PayPal is accessible in “illegal settlements,” but it is inaccessible to Palestinians residing in the West Bank and Gaza, which are both occupied territories.
Congressmen are pleading with PayPal to make its services available to Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
The CEO of the online payment system, Dan Schulman, was sent a letter claiming that PayPal may be violating Palestinians’ rights by denying them access to its services.
“We have serious concerns that PayPal’s current operating status may be violating the rights of Palestinians,” the letter stated. “PayPal does not provide services to Palestinians living in the West Bank and Gaza, but does provide services to Israeli citizens in illegal settlements throughout the West Bank.”
“In addition, PayPal’s decision to bar Palestinians from its services might only make the economic hardship and consequent political unrest in the West Bank and Gaza worse.”
Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib, Betty McCollum, Pramily Jayapal, Greg Casar, Earl Blumenauer, Jamaal Bowman, James McGovern, Sara Jacobs, and Cori Bush all signed the letter, which was written by Congressman Mark Pocan in collaboration with 7amleh, also known as The Arab Centre for the Advancement of Social Media.
In a new review by 7amleh, it was found that 80% of Palestinian families across all financial gatherings would utilize PayPal if conceivable. According to 7amleh, PayPal cannot enter the Palestinian market because Mastercard, Visa, Swift, and Apple Pay already exist there.
Mona Shtaya, the advocacy and communications manager at 7amleh, told Middle East Eye, “This is… an escalation against the company that deprives Palestinians of their fundamental right to access PayPal’s financial services, which contributes to worsening the economic situation of the Palestinians.”
She added that the “monetary de-platforming” is adding to contracting spaces for common society associations.
“It likewise represents that Palestinian computerized privileges are adopted in a diverse strategy with others all over the planet who trust in the basic liberties standards as a way to a world brimming with balance, equity, and nobility.”
The actual mission started in 2016 and the request presently has north of 275,000 marks.
‘Virtual blockade’
PayPal has long refused to provide full access to users in the occupied Palestinian territories, despite repeated requests, prior campaigns, and shareholder pressure, despite providing full access to users in Israel and illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
Be that as it may, with developing calls from youthful Palestinians who need admittance to PayPal to make money; Campaigners believe that the time is ripe for a new push, as employees of Google, Apple, Amazon, and Facebook called earlier this year on their employers to support Palestinians.
Nadim Nashif, executive director of 7amleh, an organization that promotes the advancement and protection of Palestinian digital rights, stated, “We feel that maybe there is some kind of momentum in the US, some kind of political change with Biden, but mainly with some of the left of the Democratic Party that is influencing the Silicon Valley scene.”
“We are hoping that this momentum will lead to additional action and pressure on the company,”
In an open letter that was sent to PayPal CEO and President Daniel Schulman on Tuesday, 7amleh and a group of other organizations questioned why illegal Israeli settlements were served while Palestinians were not.
They are likewise approaching allies to energize online with #PayPal4Palestine and will have an online class on Thursday highlighting Palestinian entrepeneurs and other people who will talk about what PayPal’s strategies have meant for their lives and vocations.
