When you want to purchase an Internet domain name (e.g., www.thisname.com), you head over to a site like Go Daddy, shell out $8.95 or less, and the site is yours. The same rates apply even when registering your domain to hold the suffix of a different country (England, Canada, Japan, to name a few).
What if you want your website to have an Israeli domain name, like www.thisname.co.il? You head on over to the self-appointed Israel Internet Association, and shell out over $20, just for the first year.
Maariv wrote up an article (Hebrew only) on the questionable practices of the Israel Internet Association; what is supposed to be a not-for-profit organization which operates to ensure that the government cannot monopolize control of domain registration. The company turned a 60% profit last year, which is granted tax-free status because the Association is a not-for-profit. While much of this money has been used for philanthropic purposes, including the underwriting of research grants and support for open-source software, your average domain registering Israeli citizen cannot understand why the Israel Internet Association charges over 100% more than similar domain registering companies in the world.
An enterprising web designer from Netanya has decided that enough is enough, and has formed the Association of Webmasters in Israel Against the Israel Internet Association in the interest of promoting public awareness of this injustice. The site also underscores the monopolistic nature of the IIA and the need for government regulation and monitoring of the pricing and profits of the IIA.
Read up. Fight the injustice.
