The top-level domain (TLD) you’re referring to, “XN—9DBQ2A”, is an internationalized country code top-level domain (ccTLD). These domains allow non-Latin character sets within domain names, enabling internet users worldwide to access web addresses in their native languages. The TLD “XN—9DBQ2A” specifically corresponds to the nation of Israel.
The Punycode representation of this TLD is “.יִשְׂרָאֵל”, which is Hebrew for “Israel”. According to the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA), who is responsible for the global coordination of the DNS Root, the operation of Israel’s TLD is delegated to the Israel Internet Association.
Punycode, as established by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), is a method to represent international characters in a format that can be recognized and processed by the Domain Name System (DNS) which was initially designed for ASCII characters only. This method aims to incorporate internationalization and localization within the online world, thus closing the digital divide.
The management of a ccTLD is usually performed by an organization within the corresponding country. In Israel’s case, the Israel Internet Association, a non-profit organization, is responsible for that task. It ensures the correct operation, functionality, and availability of the ccTLD, according to the IANA Database.
Examples of websites that use ccTLDs include “www.איקאה.יִשְׂרָאֵל” (the Hebrew site for IKEA in Israel) or “www.גוגל.יִשְׂרָאֵל” (the Hebrew site for Google in Israel).
In conclusion, the top-level domain “XN—9DBQ2A” plays an essential role in web localization. It allows Hebrew-speaking users in Israel to use domains in their native language, making the internet more inclusive and accessible. The success of these domains requires their maintenance and management by national organizations, in this case, the Israel Internet Association.
Sources:
1. Internationalized Domain Names (IDNs) – Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (https://www.iana.org/domains/idn-tables)
1. What is Punycode – Internet Engineering Task Force (https://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc3492.txt)
1. IANA — .ישראל Domain Delegation Data (https://www.iana.org/domains/root/db/xn—9dbq2a.html)
1. Israel Internet Association (http://www.isoc.org.il/who-we-are.html)
1. RFC 3490 – Internationalizing Domain Names in Applications (IDNA) (https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/rfc3490)
