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Why is the Gaza Strip blurry on Google Maps?

bbc.com

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Re: Why is the Gaza Strip blurry on Google Maps?

#571

Post by penagwin »

slim wrote: post #471
betterunix2 wrote: post #363

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have learned to demand a very high standard of evidence for conspiracy theories, so...let's see the evidence that there is some conspiracy between Google and Israel to hide what is happening there. For that matter, I am not even sure what you think Israel is hiding -- Netanyahu is not at all shy about settlements, the IDF calls people up to tell them when a bomb is going to be dropped on their building, and there a…

They are hiding the scale of it. Destroyed houses, trees, farms in Palestine. It is a map, it shows the scale immediately

I'm not sure about the immediate part. My area only updates every few years on Google maps, they don't exactly provide real-time data (and never meant to)

Re: Why is the Gaza Strip blurry on Google Maps?

#572

Post by runarberg »

LeoNatan25 wrote: post #479
deanCommie wrote: post #384

Earlier quoted context omitted.

But more Palestenian lives are being lost. Purely from a numbers perspective if you put aside all other variables or blame, wouldn't that explain why one side is being criticized extra right now?

How about criticizing Hamas, a terrorist organization, for shooting rockets at civilian populations of a country with one of the most advanced armies of the world? How about criticizing Hamas for shooting these rockets from civilian centers? Seems like the media is willfully ignorant here. Then you have nonsense like: https://www.vox.com/2014/7/17/5912189/yes-gaza-militants-hid... Clearly this smells foul.

> How about criticizing Hamas for shooting these rockets from civilian centers?

Looking at google maps it sure seems that the IDF does the same, keeping their headquarters in the middle of densely populated center of Tel Aviv. Between a large hospital and a shopping mall.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Israel+Defense+Forces/@32....

If you are gonna both-sides this, you should commit to it.

Re: Why is the Gaza Strip blurry on Google Maps?

#573

Post by stewx »

jussij wrote: post #355
plaidfuji wrote: post #342

This link title is extremely misleading to the point of being disingenuous and provocative. The title of the linked article is “Israel-Gaza: Why is the region blurry on Google Maps?”... because the entire Israel / Gaza / West Bank region is blurred in the exact same way. There is no preferential blurring of Palestinian areas. The clear answer is to prevent actors on both sides from using Google’s satellite imagery to…

Israel can get all the detailed imagery it needs by just launching a reconnaissance aircraft or drone. So on that basis I would say it only stops the Palestinians from getting imagery of the area. Now considering the fact Palestine only has rockets and not missiles, I doubt that imagery is of much value to them. Call me cynical, but I suspect the more important reason to keep these images blurred might be to stop the…

If you read the article, it clearly states that high-resolution images are now available and permitted by US law:

> "As a result of recent changes to US regulations, the imagery of Israel and Gaza is being provided at 40cm resolution," Maxar said in a statement.

Re: Why is the Gaza Strip blurry on Google Maps?

#574

Post by gataca »

betsushikime wrote: post #535
golergka wrote: post #534

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've never, in any other conflict, witnessed a public opinion on the side of the aggressor. I've never, in any other conflict, seen an army that's not fighting overseas, but is desperately trying to prevent massive loss of life in it's own population, accused of "disproportionate" response — even though it would take measures to prevent any casualties that are completely unprecedented in world practices and makes ach…

Yes, the coverage of the conflict is one-sided and popular opinion is on the side of the Palestinians. The reason for that is that the conflict itself is one-sided. Gaza is occupied by Israel. Further, Israel has the overwhelming advantage in military power and the Palestinians suffer the overwhelming majority of casualties every time there is conflict. In the 2008-09 war, the total number of Israeli citizens killed…

How do you explain the same exact global reaction in 2006, when Hezbollah started a war by kidnapping and killing Israeli soldiers on the border and firing missiles into Israel? Massive protests, 'Israel is committing war crimes/genocide', followed by international condemnation.

OP that you're responding to is exactly correct - there is zero outrage against the Syrian or Yemen Civil war (where Iranian-funded troops have starved thousands of people to death). Same goes for the war between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Same goes for Ethiopia vs Tigray.

Re: Why is the Gaza Strip blurry on Google Maps?

#575

Post by belorn »

modo_mario wrote: post #542
belorn wrote: post #466

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It would surprise me a lot if there were no people inside both Israel and Palestinians that has the resources and international connections to buy high resolution imagery or simply direct access to satellites. Given a few millions in capital and a few shell companies, finding a commercial entity willing to lend access to a satellite for a few hours seems likely, unless control over satellites are much more militarize…

>finding a commercial entity willing to lend access to a satellite for a few hours The vast majority of satellites aren't made for this kind of mapping as far as I know. Of the ones that are most aren't private commercial projects. Wikipedia lists 6 such projects and i doubt their time is cheap enough to make it worthwile for Palestinian resistance. Israel is another matter but they'd probably just knock on the US do…

I think that you are right that the cost is too high compared to other cheaper alternatives, like reconnaissance aircraft on the Israel side. Keeping the images blurred removes the free option so military on each side has to spend resources on the problem. I am however skeptical that it fully stops anyone from getting access to mapping data.

I am a bit surprised however that there would not be more satellites that is commercial operated. I keep hearing about old weather satellites that gone past their period of commercial operation in favor of newer ones, and the old ones still having decent cameras and other sensors to provide maps of buildings and structures. With about 6000 satellites currently operating around the earth there should a pretty steady stream of old ones being replaced, and I would think many of them do get reused for new purposes.

Re: Why is the Gaza Strip blurry on Google Maps?

#576

Post by stewx »

TLDR: it used to be illegal under US law to distribute high-resolution images of Israel and Gaza. Now it's not. High-resolution images are available for purchase from satellite imaging companies but they haven't made it into Google Maps yet.

Re: Why is the Gaza Strip blurry on Google Maps?

#577

Post by gataca »

sofixa wrote: post #500
sequoia wrote: post #416

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Just to clarify: these are the neighbours that expelled all their Jews leaving them refugees in Israel and also tried to destroy the country and many of which have not stopped trying for its entire history. Getting along takes two.

> Just to clarify: these are the neighbours that expelled all their Jews leaving them refugees in Israel and also tried to destroy the country and many of which have not stopped trying for its entire history. Getting along takes two Sure, if you decide to start there. If you start a little further away, around WWI and before WWII, you have Jews settling lands where they were a small minority en masse , and after WWII…

What does Jews buying swamps in pre-state Israel have to do with Iraqi or Egyptian Jews, for example, who were ethnically cleansed? I'm not seeing the connection

Re: Why is the Gaza Strip blurry on Google Maps?

#578

Post by astura »

sequoia wrote: post #237
Kranar wrote: post #168

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So does OPs entire post. Gaza is, by all reasonable accounts, among the most densely populated areas in the world. There's no real reason to start questioning the credibility and trustworthiness of a news organization over the fact that Gaza is referred to as such, it's a very bizarre thing to fixate over.

Your point about my argument regarding BBC's credibility based on this one point is fair, I can see how my argument can reasonably be considered overstated. Your point about "fixating" (assuming you're referring to me) is not fair. If you want to accuse someone of being fixated on this point, please direct your critique at the BBC and other media outlets who repeat the phrase about Gaza and only Gaza (not all of the…

In this case it makes perfect sense to mention how densely populated Gaza is because the reader probably doesn't know much about Gaza other than it's occupied by Israel. Every other area with the population density of Gaza looks very different on Google Maps.

Re: Why is the Gaza Strip blurry on Google Maps?

#579

Post by belorn »

sudosysgen wrote: post #567
belorn wrote: post #464

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You would have land owned by Jewish Palestinians, land owned by non-Jewish Palestinians, and land cooperatively owned by both Jewish and non-Jewish Palestinians. Jewish Palestinians plus non-Jewish Palestinians do not make up 100% of Palestinians, but rather the result of 100% minus land cooperatively owned by both Jewish and non-Jewish Palestinians.

You're confusing land and people here.

DSingularity above is talking about 2% owning 8% of the land, with "92% accept that so much of what is rightfully theirs would be forcefully taken from them".

If you are saying I am confusing land and people, what is the 2% and 8% number referring to in the above comment? People and land? If so, what people, and what land?

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