Israel Allows 4G Mobile Network Upgrade in the West Bank
Residents and businesses in the West Bank are set to experience a significant leap in mobile connectivity after Israel’s Communications Ministry approved the upgrade to fourth-generation (4G) services for Palestinian operators. The long-delayed move marks a cautious step in narrowing a persistent digital divide.
On Tuesday, the ministry confirmed that management agreements signed by the Palestinian providers Jawwal and Ooredoo, along with Swedish infrastructure company Ericsson, received official Israeli approval this past Sunday. This administrative green light is the foundational step needed to begin the actual rollout of the technology.
The upgrade to 4G represents the next phase in a slow-paced technological catch-up. Palestinian operators only launched 3G services in 2018, years after the technology became standard elsewhere, following a lengthy Israeli ban. This new approval stems from a broader 2022 framework agreement between Israel and the Palestinian Authority designed to pave the way for both 4G and future 5G cellular technologies. According to Israeli media reports, the implementation of this deal was delayed by the war in Gaza. The technical process to upgrade networks is now expected to take up to six months.
For Palestinian users, the shift to 4G will mean substantially faster data speeds, more reliable service, and access to modern applications and economic tools that have long been hampered by outdated infrastructure. However, the upgrade also highlights a continuing disparity. Israeli cellular firms already operate advanced 5G networks in the same territory, placing Palestinian providers at a commercial and technological disadvantage. Furthermore, Israel is actively phasing out its own 2G and 3G networks, urging the public to adopt 4G and 5G devices—a transition now beginning for Palestinians in the West Bank.
The announcement also casts a stark contrast on the dire situation in the Gaza Strip, where only basic 2G service is available, severely limiting communication in a territory devastated by conflict.
While welcomed by Palestinian telecoms and their customers, this upgrade is viewed by many observers as a basic infrastructural improvement long overdue. It underscores how technological development in the West Bank remains subject to political and security approvals, reflecting the complex realities of life under occupation. The next six months will reveal how smoothly the promised signals can finally be transmitted.
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