Thread by @Cinzia_Bianco

Truly fascinating story linking #tech & #geopolitics, and involving #Gulf. #Google sponsors new undersea fiber optic cable connecting #Europe & #Asia, specifically #Italy & #India, via the #ArabianPeninsula. Should cut costs by 50% & really increase efficiency. Few details 👇 1/

The cable will be split in 2. Blue goes from #Italy to #Jordan (Aqaba) via #Israel and is done w/Telecom Italia. Raman goes from #India to Aqaba via #Oman & #SaudiArabia and done w/Omantel. The split is due to Saudi opposition of direct link to Israel (normalization, much?). 2/

The Blue-Raman cable will be the first connecting #Europe & #Asia to bypass #Egypt. All other cables do and in fact Egypt charges massively for access while also being the "biggest single-point-of-failure in the entire world." 3/

The role of #Oman in the Blue-Raman project is particularly interesting. Omantel does has significant capabilities and Oman is already a strategic hub for other undersea cables. Noticeably #Snowden alleged this is why #GCHQ has its #MENA base there. 4/

It's high time we analysts start updating our analytical frameworks: for instance in the next decades for #SaudiArabia having #tech assets like these will be much more relevant than having #oil! 5/5
And here is the link to the full story from @haaretzcom: haaretz.com/israel-news/bu…