The Israeli Internet Association's index examining the accessibility of government websites in Hebrew was published today (Sunday) with disturbing findings.
The index shows that essential digital services for emergencies do not exist in the Arabic language, such as: insurance of household items against war damage by the Tax Authority, a situation room of the Planning Administration that centralizes the planning information in the Planning Administration in view of the war situation, and more.
The published index monitors the scope of access to government digital services and information in times of emergency for the Arab citizens who make up about a fifth of the public in Israel.
The index found that the factor with the lowest level of accessibility is, as mentioned, the national cyber system - in which only 5% of the information and services were made available to the Arab public in their language.
Many essential pages and services such as reporting on cyber incidents and a system for reporting and investigating phishing and fake news messages were not translated and made available in Arabic to the Arab public.
In this context, it should be noted that in mid-December the formation launched a large campaign to fight "Shefat", all in Hebrew only.
In addition, other essential government services stood out due to the lack of accessibility and translation into the Arabic language, among them: the Tax Authority's insurance of household objects against war damage, the planning administration's situation room that centralizes the planning information in the planning administration in view of the war situation, and a dedicated page of the Ministry of Finance that consolidates the The information and services on the "Iron Swords" war.
It should be emphasized that a significant percentage of the Bedouin residents of the Negev and the Arab residents of the Upper Galilee are directly affected by the war situation and some of them are even exposed to the threat of missiles and are forced to evacuate their homes
The inspection examined the number and percentage of pages translated into Arabic on the "United National Website" which brings together all government information about the services and rights to which citizens evacuated following the "Iron Swords" war are entitled, alongside government services and assistance for all Israeli citizens affected by the security situation in the areas of housing, work, and welfare , health, education, and more.
It will be emphasized that a significant percentage of the Bedouin residents of the Negev and the Arab residents of the Upper Galilee are directly affected by the war situation and some of them are even exposed to the threat of missiles and are forced to evacuate their homes.
Among the government ministries that stood out favorably in the emergency accessibility index with high accessibility percentages are the Ministry of Agriculture (76%), the Ministry of Labor (69%), the Ministry of Welfare (66%), the Ministry of Communications (58%), the Ministry of Health (54%) and the Tax Authority (51%).
The general examination shows that 39% of government information and services on the subject of the "Iron Swords" war exist in the Arabic language.
The index published today is another move by the Israeli Internet Association, and follows the publication of the index of accessibility of government information and services to the Arab society in March 2023, according to which only 10% of all government information and services are accessible and available in the Arabic language.
"The war does not miss any of us"
The Israeli Internet Association stated: "We see the accessibility and use of digital government services as a basic component of the citizen's life, especially during times of emergency and war, therefore the association also examined the suitability and accessibility of information and government services essential in the war of iron swords to the Arab public in Israel in their native Arabic language."
Dima Asad Nikola, coordinator of the field of reducing digital gaps at the Israel Internet Association, stated that "We know that during the war, there was a jump in the consumption of media and screens by Israelis on all platforms, including in Arab society. At a time such a body as the cyber system is supposed to be an "iron dome on the Internet" and protect a rule citizens from various vulnerabilities and threats online, it does not provide an answer to 20% of the entire population in Israel. In the end, a war of iron swords does not spare any of us both in the physical space and in the digital space, it is important to make sure that essential information and services that are supposed to protect the citizen also online, Adapted to the entire population, thus also increasing the level of use and awareness of the Arab citizens of these essential services."
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War of Iron Swords