Israel Finally Secures Own Username on Twitter

After much negotiations, the nation of Israel has finally secured its @israel username on Twitter, which was previously registered to a Spaniard named Israel Meléndez, according to The New York Times.

Mr Meléndez signed up to the microblogging site back in 2007 when Twitter was still amongst the newest services online. However, he was very much troubled in using the account because every time he uses it to post updates, he would receive hundreds of anti-Semitic or anti-Israel messages, mistaking him to represent the country of Israel.

My account was basically unused because I was getting dozens of replies every day from people who thought the account belonged to the state of Israel.

Things changed when the Israeli government contacted him and negotiated to have the username be turned over. Mr Meléndez agreed but in exchange for a yet undisclosed amount. The negotiations were carried out last month over telephone conversations to the Israeli consulate in Miami where he currently resides.

This new acquisition boosts Israel’s campaign to create and preserve its own image on the internet.

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