Google launches Palestine-specific web domain

Google unveiled its newest URL on Thursday, www.google.ps, a specific domain for residents of the occupied Palestinian territories, with the exception of East Jerusalem.

"The new domain will give Arabic-speaking users in the Palestinian Territories, who use Palestinian ISPs, access to Google in Arabic and eventually, access to more locally relevant content," the company said on its Arabia blog.

Aside from East Jerusalem, which falls under de facto Israeli authority, Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza have generally relied on www.google.jo, Jordan's domain, and Egypt's www.google.com.eg, respectively.

"Arabic-speaking users in the Palestinian Territories have had to visit foreign domains in order to search in Arabic," the company added, noting that the new URL would be designed for Palestine-specific search results.