Jordanian MP Abdulraouf Al-Rubaihat sparked controversy after criticizing the Jordanian government’s contract with “Presight,” a project aiming to bring forward digital transformation in the Ministry of Health.
“Presight” is the product of a joint venture between an Emirati company and an Israeli company specializing in defense systems. On November 13, Al-Rubaihat submitted an official memorandum to the Minister of Planning and International Cooperation, Zeina Toukan, demanding further clarification from the government regarding contract terms and calling for immediate withdrawal from the contract.
The memorandum stated: “It is unacceptable for the government to make health sector databases available for an Israeli company. This information is sensitive and related to the Kingdom’s human infrastructure, meaning that it can be utilized in any future war that occurs.”
Jordan’s residents have expressed indignation regarding the security of their health data being shared with an Israeli company, especially after Israel’s terrorizing pager attacks in Lebanon in September.
The Ministry of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship considered the contract as part of a “generous Emirati grant” within the framework of cooperation between the two countries.
It also clarified that the contract will be subject to all legal scrutiny in line with the Jordanian legal system, and will receive all necessary approvals from relevant authorities, including the cybersecurity authority in compliance with the Jordanian Personal Data Protection Law.
Health Sector Digitization Project
In early September, the Ministry of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship and the Ministry of Health launched a project to assess digital transformation in hospitals and health centers affiliated with the Jordanian Ministry of Health.
The project entails developing a strategy that presents a roadmap for future projects, within an agreement signed between the Ministry of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship and Abu Dhabi-based company “Presight,” which specializes in analyzing big data using artificial intelligence (AI).
The agreement is part of a USD 400 million Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development, of which USD 100 million are allocated for digital transformation.
Minister of Health Dr. Firas Al-Hawari celebrated the contract, stating that the Ministry will work on implementing key digital transformation projects. Presight’s COO, Dr. Adel Alsharji, also stated that the goal of this project is “to pave the way for a healthier future in Jordan and other countries by combining artificial intelligence technology with human expertise.”
An official familiar with the project at the Ministry of Digital Economy revealed to SMEX that “The preliminary plan extends for six weeks, during which several digital transformation projects will be implemented in Jordan.”
These include examining processes and procedures, identifying gaps, improving healthcare system outcomes, and developing a strategy for a health data exchange platform, as well as plans for remote healthcare services through virtual hospitals and a billing system for in-patients in public hospitals and healthcare centers.”
Digitizing the health sector may contribute to promoting and improving healthcare services, such as medical examinations, archives, and patient records. However, it is also accompanied by several concerns associated with integrating AI in health sector data processing, such as data breaches and cyberattacks targeting AI algorithms.
Such concerns are further exacerbated by the fact that these AI technology developers are involved in suppressing freedom of expression, empowering government entities to engage in spying and surveillance, and playing military roles in wars of annihilation.
Project “Presight,” an Emirati-Israeli company, was launched in 2021 within the framework of the Abraham Accords between the Israeli occupation and several Arab states. It is a joint venture between Emirati company “G42” and Israeli military company “Rafael,” aiming to market big data technology and solutions.
A “Presight” research and development (R&D) center will be established in the occupied lands to apply AI technology in multiple sectors, such as health care, public safety, banking, etc.
The Israeli government-owned company “Rafael” is known for its involvement in the current war of annihilation against Gaza and Lebanon. It has developed advanced missile systems such as the anti-tank guided missile “Spike,” the air-to-surface missile system “Popeye,” and the “Iron Beam” laser-guided air defense system, capable of intercepting short-range rockets, complementing the “Iron Dome” system.
“Rafael” was established in 1948, under the direction of David Ben-Gurion, to conduct scientific research for military purposes and serve as a laboratory to develop technology and weapons for the Israeli Ministry of “Defense.”
In 2002, it became an “independent governmental entity” focused on developing and producing weapons and technology for the Israeli armed forces and exporting military products.
Digital rights activist Raya Sharbain confirmed to SMEX that the Emirati “G42” is involved in suspicious partnerships and funding operations that targeted human rights activists, not to mention its dealings with Israeli companies.
“G42” has also been accused of funding the application “Toktok,” “linked to the incident of transferring user data to Emirati security services, and of dealing with ‘Dark Matter,’ specialized in manufacturing spyware, including the equipment used to target activists in the GCC.”
Is the Personal Data Protection Law Sufficient?
Legal and data security concerns related to this project cannot be ignored. The official announcement of the agreement claims that “Presight plays a specific role in establishing certain projects, and upon completion, its role will be over.”
Sharbain added that the contract is ambiguous and does not clarify the purpose of training AI algorithms using vast amounts of Jordanian health data, the type of health data shared with partners, and the nature of access authorization granted.
A specialized lawyer who preferred to remain anonymous explained that “Presight,” in both its Emirati and Israeli components, has a violent history involving murder, espionage, surveillance, and control, which makes its role in processing sensitive data, such as Jordanian health data, illogical, despite claims of independence from the government sector and the separation of its civil activities from its military ones.
“The 2023 Personal Data Protection Law, alongside the Ministry of Health’s National Digital Transformation Strategy, constitute the legal framework behind this project, but they are insufficient to protect the data of people in Jordan.”
In August 2023, the Jordanian Parliament approved the amended version of the “2021 Personal Data Protection Law,” after the Ministry of Digital Economy had proposed the first draft of the Law in 2014.
This law effectively regulates the work of entities that collect personal data and prevents exploitation by other parties. Its latest version was cheered by human rights organizations for its compliance with the main principles of the “General Data Protection Regulation” (GDPR). However, it nonetheless still presents serious human rights concerns.
According to the lawyer, the most dangerous amendments to the law allow granting entities subject to Central Bank control and oversight the authority to process personal data, including transferring and exchanging data inside or outside the country, without notifying the person whose data is being processed, all while considering this procedure “legal and legitimate.”
Such exceptions, coupled with the stipulated structure of the government-established Data Protection Council, in charge of settling all submitted complaints, undermine the essence of data protection and privacy principles.
The Head of the Electrophysiology department at Abdali Hospital, Dr. Mohammad Hajjiri, “completely and categorically refuses” to share his patients’ data or participate in the new project.
He calls upon his colleagues within the syndicate and elsewhere to take a similar stance towards this initiative which would, in his opinion, lead to data theft and control over the health sector.
He explains that “Jordan has the full competence to digitalize data locally, especially that the Jordanian Ministry of Health had already launched a first initiative in this regard in 2009.”
MP Al-Rubaihat believes that sharing health data with a company that has ties to the Israeli regime constitutes a threat to Jordanian national security, especially in the event of future escalations.
Sharbain also points out that the potential scenarios of exploiting this data against Jordanians are many. Throughout this project, Jordan would have handed one of the most sensitive data and sectors to entities involved in genocide.
Even before the war in Palestine and Lebanon, refusing such a project would still prioritize national sovereignty over data, which, in any case, should not be shared or processed by any entity outside Jordan.
The Jordanian government has not, so far, taken any measures to suspend or cancel the project, and the Parliament has not taken any steps to raise such demands although certain MPs have used their social media pages to call for canceling the contract.
In all cases, until the issuance of a decision to completely cancel the project, concerns remain regarding sending Jordanian data to Israeli entities with a proven history of exploiting data to commit a year-long, ongoing genocide.
