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Last update - 16:46 02/06/2008 Internet domain name 'Israel.com' sold for $5.88 million By Paz Weissman, TheMarker Correspondent Tags: domain names, Israel.com  The internet domain name "Israel.com" was sold over the weekend for $5.88 million. The buyer's identity has not been revealed. At the beginning of May, the internet domain registrar Moniker announced that the domain name "Israel.com" will be auctioned at a starting price of $5.5 million. The auction began on May 23 and ended six days later. Today, the domain holds a generic Website providing general and tourist information about Israel and its heritage. It is yet unclear what the new content will be following the sale of the domain. Advertisement Prior to the transaction, the owner of the domain was Joel Noel Friedman, a 46-year-old Jewish American. According to the auction Website www.auctioninfo.org, Friedman said that he didn't expect the domain name to be valued so high when he bought it in 1994. Friedman explained that he originally registered the domain name under his name for fear it would be misused by someone else. He added that he put the domain up for auction as a tribute to Israel's 60th anniversary. The sale of domain names, which can be likened to internet real estate, is a common phenomenon. In the past, companies have paid hundreds of thousands and even millions of dollars for domain names such as casino.com or sex.com, which were bought by private investors with the aim of selling for a profit. In light of this phenomenon, large companies often buy all the domain names that resemble the company name in order to avoid extortion. The cost of new or regular domain names is about ten dollars per year, but the cost of attractive domain names is much higher. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Terrorist donuts U.S. Arabs irate over criticism of celebrity cook's kaffiyeh. All the way to hell Rosner's blog: It's Obama's good intentions that pro-Israel activists fear.   1.   CORRECTION REQUESTED: Israel.com is NOT sold 17:21  |  Ana Cano 02/06/08   2.   Great domain for a missionary activity Halelueya! 19:19  |  Yaakov Sullivan 02/06/08   3.   israel.com 15:40  |  joe blow 04/06/08

Read & React Bradley Burston: Leave it to Fox News to elect Obama Responses: 197 Olmert: Broad Gaza military operation closer than ever Responses: 164 U.S. rejects Mofaz remarks on Iran strike seeming 'unavoidable' Responses: 295 Obama's pro-Israel speech before AIPAC riles Arab press Responses: 82 Rosner's Domain Obama and Jerusalem: did you really believe him? Guest: Marrying within the faith isn't racism - it's self preservation Should you mess with the Zohan? (WTR) Poll: Philip Roth, Victor Frankl or Leon Uris? What did Obama say to Joe Lieberman? (WTR) More Headlines 16:25 Israel, PA agree to start drafting peace proposal 16:15 McCain calls for moving U.S. embassy to Jerusalem 14:59 U.S. rejects Mofaz comments on 'unavoidable' Iran strike 12:46 Author Thomas L. Friedman: Military leverage on Iran only short-term option 16:10 X-Men mutant survives the Holocaust in new Marvel Comics miniseries 10:00 Democratic rep. blasts Clinton for exploiting Black-Jewish tensions 01:54 Arab states leery of Israel's entry into Mediterranean Union 09:48 Group demands Venezuela envoy recall over Jewish conspiracy remark 08:16 New database gathers tales of Shanghai's Holocaust refugees 23:56 Negev pounded with Qassams, mortar shells fired from Gaza 03:43 PM to Bush, Abbas: I'll weather legal storm, stay in office Previous Editions Select Day 06 jun 05 jun 04 jun 03 jun 02 jun 01 jun 30 may 29 may 28 may 27 may 26 may 25 may

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