This is a computer industry trade show that annually draws 70,000 people to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates each year, featuring exhibitors from every corner of the high-tech universe. Given Israel's emergence as a hotbed of Internet innovation, Arab customers have an ample pool of tech talent in their backyard. Yet Gitex didn't include a single Israel company for the obvious, old reasons. As one industry executive familiar with the thinking of the organizers recalled to me, the question of inviting the Israelis to Gitex was only briefly considered. The Arabs are just not going to take the risk of directly dealing with the Israelis until the political climate changes.
Optimists see a glass that's half-full.
And although that's a drop in the bucket by U.S. standards, it's a good start. Even in Saudi Arabia, they say, where the Internet was introduced only early this year, electronic commerce is finally getting a foothold. I'd like to think not, but political obstacles rooted in nearly a century of regional conflict don't get overturned easily. Not even by the Internet. Copyright 1997-2001 United States Committee For A Free Lebanon.