Domain names under the “ישראל.” IDN extension are now clickable in WhatsApp Web, and Facebook no longer converts Hebrew domain names into unreadable Punycode when they are shared.
Following our previous update on WhatApp’s support for “ישראל.” IDN domain names on Android devices, Meta has recently introduced important improvements to the user experience for “ישראל.” domain names, Israel’s Hebrew-script country-code top-level domain (ccTLD), on its leading platforms. The updates make Hebrew domain names easier to share and use on WhatsApp and Facebook, representing another step forward in Universal Acceptance (UA)—the effort to ensure that all valid domain names and email addresses work across Internet applications, regardless of language or script.
The latest improvements include automatic link recognition for “ישראל.” domain names in WhatsApp Web and improved display of Hebrew domain names on Facebook.
Illustration: Sharing a Hebrew “ישראל.” domain name in WhatsApp Web
WhatsApp Web Now Recognizes “ישראל.” Domain Names
Until now, Hebrew domain names under the “ישראל.” extension were automatically converted into clickable links only in the Android version of WhatsApp. Support has now been extended to WhatsApp Web, the browser-based version of the service. When a user enters a Hebrew domain name ending in “ישראל.”, WhatsApp automatically recognizes it and converts it into a clickable link, making it easier to share Hebrew-language websites across devices.
Screenshot: A “ישראל.” domain name shared in WhatsApp Web (Chrome browser).
Facebook Now Displays Hebrew Domain Names Correctly
Previously, when a “ישראל.” domain name was shared, Facebook displayed it in Punycode, an unreadable, non-user-friendly code used internally by the Domain Name System to represent Internationalized Domain Names (IDNs).
For example, the recognizable, easy-to-read Hebrew domain: https://כולנו.ישראל
was displayed as: https://xn--9dbaqfu.xn--4dbrk0ce/ rather than in its original Hebrew form.
Screenshot: A “ישראל.” domain name shared on Facebook before the update (Chrome browser).
Now, following Meta’s update, when a Hebrew “ישראל.” domain name is shared with the https:// prefix:
- the address remains displayed in readable Hebrew;
- the link becomes clickable; and
- the platform automatically generates a visual preview of the website.
These improvements also apply to many other IDNs and newer top-level domains.*
Screenshot: A “ישראל.” domain name shared on Facebook after the update (Chrome browser).
The Next Step: A More Natural Experience for Right-to-Left (RTL) Languages
While these improvements are an important step forward, there is still considerable work ahead before Hebrew domain names, and IDNs in general, are fully supported across the Internet.
As mentioned, Facebook currently requires users to include https:// before a Hebrew domain name in order for it to become a clickable link.
For right-to-left (RTL) languages such as Hebrew, Arabic, and Persian, this creates an unnatural user experience. Because the protocol is written in Latin characters, placing it before a right-to-left address can make the URL appear confusing and fragmented.
The ideal experience is for users to simply type: “כולנו.ישראל” without adding “https://”, and have Facebook automatically recognize it as a clickable link, just as it does with long-established domain extensions such as .com and .il, and as WhatsApp already does for “ישראל.” domain names.
The Global Effort to Improve Universal Acceptance
These latest improvements are part of the global Universal Acceptance initiative led by ICANN, which promotes full support for Internationalized Domain Names (IDNs)–domain names in scripts other than the Latin alphabet.
The latest progress reflects ongoing collaboration between ICANN, Meta, and the broader Universal Acceptance community. It is important to remember that technological changes at major technology corporations take time. They involve coordinating between numerous stakeholders, development considerations, and budget prioritization.
ISOC-IL will continue to represent the Hebrew-speaking Internet community in international technical and policy forums and will share further updates as additional progress is made.
* Based on our testing, Facebook’s update applies to both Internationalized Domain Names (IDNs) and many new generic top-level domains (ngTLDs). In general, text entered after https:// that contains a valid domain name is recognized as a clickable link, though some long-established domain extensions, including .com and .il, continue to be recognized by the platform automatically even without the prefix.