Goods coming to Palestine must move by means of Israeli customs and ports, based on merchants within the occupied West Bank, who say Türkiye chopping commerce with Israel would have an effect on the Palestinians.
Mahmoud al-Wahar, a significant metal dealer, stated he imports between 130,000 and 150,000 tons of metal from Türkiye on an annual foundation, which he says has to move by means of Israeli ports and customs as properly.
While exports have decreased considerably since Israel launched its army offensive on Gaza final yr, Türkiye is making an attempt to take care of shipments of products to the Palestinians.
Al-Wahar, one of many largest metal retailers in Palestine and concerned in numerous different companies, stated his group imports industrial supplies, particularly metal, from Türkiye and the commerce quantity will increase yearly.
He advised Anadolu Agency (AA) that the metal is generally used within the West Bank market, including, “We were also selling in Gaza, but we withdrew from the Gaza market a year ago.”
The Israeli air and floor strikes have turned huge areas of Gaza into ruins and have killed greater than 33,000 Palestinians, largely ladies and youngsters, based on native well being authorities.
The indiscriminate assaults got here after the Palestinian resistance group Hamas’ shock cross-border assault that killed about 1,200 Israelis.
Turkish high quality requirements
Al-Wahar stated the explanations for working with Turkish corporations are high-quality requirements and cheap costs.
Türkiye is traditionally and historically very near the Palestinians, he stated, underlining the belief Palestinians have established with the nation.
He stated there’s a brotherhood with Türkiye relatively than solely a industrial relationship. “The reason we work with Türkiye is quality and standard. Although not always, price too. We cannot find goods for such prices in Europe. There is trust between us and Turkish companies,” he stated.
Explaining that they’ve been working with Türkiye for 15 years, Al-Wahar stated: “Whatever we import must comply with Israeli and Palestinian standards. Turkish manufacturers also work according to these standards.”
“It’s not just steel and cement. We also import industrial input materials such as plastic used in our factories,” he added.
Cutting commerce with Israel to have an effect on Palestine
The businesspeople argued that Palestinian companies will likely be affected if commerce between Israel and Türkiye is minimize.
“This means cutting off trade between Türkiye and Palestine, not only with Israel. Because we do not have ports or airports. When importing products from Türkiye, they come through Israel. There is no other way to bring the supplies. This will affect us, all Palestinians,” he stated.
Al-Wahar added that if commerce between Israel and Türkiye is suspended, Israel won’t be able to buy supplies from Türkiye and must search for different sources.
Talking about choices akin to Gulf nations, Europe, Egypt and China, al-Wahar stated Cairo doesn’t meet the required requirements and the merchandise by others are expensive.
“Who will start controlling the West Bank market in this situation? Israeli companies,” he stated, sharing that Israel has two metal corporations. “They can easily control the Palestinian market. So, it will affect all parties.”
‘No different method’
Underlining that they must commerce with the whole world by means of Israel, Al-Wahar stated: “There is no other way. For example, doing trade through Jordan is very costly. Transportation costs, flight costs, everything is very high.”
He stated earlier than the beginning of Israeli strikes final October, his factories labored in three shifts 24 hours a day. But have since been closed.
Pointing out that working with Türkiye means development and growth for the Palestinian folks, al-Wahar stated: “We do not only work with Türkiye in the steel sector, we work with Türkiye in the food and clothing sectors as well. All these products are needed.”
Al-Wahar stated they import from Türkiye, not Israel, including: “We are growing with Türkiye; we are developing day by day and year by year. We are expanding our business in all sectors.”
Depending on Israeli border gates and ports
Abid al-Wahar, a supervisor of Balawi Group of Companies, stated he has been doing business with the Turks since 2008 and is snug with the working relationship.
“As Palestinians, we are dependent on Israel at the border gates and ports. When we import from Türkiye, we pay the customs duty to Israel. They transfer the taxes they collect to the Palestinian administration,” he famous.
Therefore, he stated if Türkiye cuts commerce with Israel, it won’t permit “us to import from Türkiye. In this case, we will have to turn to Europe, Russia or China.”
Al-Wahar stated the U.S. and Israel needed to ascertain a partnership with him, however he rejected it.
“I told the Palestinian economy minister that I would only trade with the Turks. I do not trust anyone other than these people. I have been working with them for many years. They also trust me.”
“Turks make things easier when trading with the Palestinians than with the rest of the world. They treat the Palestinians more leniently,” he remarked.
Source: www.dailysabah.com