Chinese commodities have become best-selling in the Palestinian market

By Moatesem Al-Meniawi, IOL Correspondent

GAZA CITY , July 18 (IslamOnline.net) – Four years of Israeli closure of their towns and watertight restrictions on the movement of workers have forced Palestinian families to buy low-priced Chinese necessities instead of the more expensive Turkish or Israeli products.

"More than 80 per cent of commodities imported to the Palestinian territories are Chinese-made," Dr. Maher Al-Tabba', public relation director of the Chamber of Commerce in the Gaza Strip, told IslamOnline.net.

"Chinese commodities are low-priced and are affordable by low-incomed Palestinians.

"Four years ago Chinese goods were not best-selling in the Palestine . Local, Israeli and Turkish products were."

This changed, Tabba' said, after the outbreak of Al-Aqsa Intifada against the Israeli occupation in September 2000.

Low-priced

"Chinese commodities cost far less than others and that is why Palestinians buy them," said Raed Ibrahim, a Chinese goods dealer.

"You can have a Chinese-made TV set for some 200 dollars while another other model would cost at least 500 dollars," he gave one example.

Hamza Abu Helal, a Palestinian merchant, agreed.

"Chinese goods are best-selling in the Palestinian market because their prices are affordable."

He asserted that pricing is a top priority for most Palestinian importers, like himself, in view of the sluggish economic situation in the Palestinian territories.

Made in China

"We can only afford to buy Chinese goods because of their low prices," Umm Ahmed Al-Shurafa told IOL.

Her words were echoed by other Palestinian women, though some complained of the poor quality of the Chinese commodities.

"Yes, Chinese goods are low-priced but they are also poor-quality," said Samya El-Masharawi.

"On the contrary, some Chinese goods are of high quality. The problem is that they killed local commodities," Umm Saher interrupted.

Reem Shahein, a Palestinian mother, said every little thing in her house, including children toys and cloths, is Chinese.

"My kid once asked joked,: 'Mam are we Chinese-made?'" she laughed.

"Five years ago, I used to buy high-quality goods because my husband had an excellent salary," Umm Salim recalled.

"Now he is unemployed and like many other Palestinian families we hardly make ends meet. I buy Chinese goods because we do not have another option."

UN rights experts vehemently have recently condemned Israel 's "systematic" demolition of Palestinian homes and destruction of water sources and livelihoods in the southern Gaza Strip Rafah refugee camp during a massive incursion in May.

Palestinian businessmen have accused Israel of attempting to paralyze the already-shattered Palestinian economy by Al-Muntar crossing, an economic lifeline for transporting 95 per cent of the strip’s exports and imports on a daily basis.

According to 2002 UN statistics, unemployment increased to 50% in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, and that 70% of Gaza Strip inhabitants now live in poverty, defined as per capita consumption of less than $2 a day. The poverty rate was 23% in 1997, and 20% in 1990.

In September the same year, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) annual report on the occupied territories said that the Palestinian economy was experiencing "de-development".

The participants highlighted that the Palestinian economy is regularly disrupted by roadblocks, curfews, bulldozing of homes and farms, destruction of wells and confiscation of land to build new Jewish settlements, in violation of international law.

UNCTAD found that since the outbreak of the Intifada, gross domestic product had fallen by more than half, unemployment had tripled and more than two-thirds of households were living below the poverty line.

The Palestinian Authority's olive output, one of its most important agricultural products, was reduced by more than 80% in 2001, due to Israeli military actions against both people and groves.