New dating app seeks to build peace in the Middle East, by connecting Israelis and Palestinians

Who knew you could swipe right for peace in the Middle East?

Verona is a new app designed to connect people caught up in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, whether they’re looking for love, friendship, or just reaching out across the divide.

The app, named after the hometown of star-cross’d lovers Romeo and Juliet, works in a very similar way to Tinder, but just in case anyone needs a refresher:

New York based app designer Matthew Nolan told website Refinery29 he got the idea for Verona after talking with a Palestinian friend who had just started dating an Israeli woman.

“I very much believe that the basis of any relationship is communication,” Nolan said.

I feel like there’s a secular, liberal youth base in both cultures who just want change, they just want f*cking peace. And, I want these selfies, images of people who have met, to show that this is bullshit... If there’s war, more conflict, I want people to know that it’s completely invalid. This is going to be the first step.

• Matthew Nolan, designer

Verona has managed to amass more than 1,000 users since launching at the end of March and is currently only available in beta for Android but with plans to develop it for other platforms.

i100.co.uk has reached out to Verona for further comment.

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