Türkiye dominates Palestinian markets, becomes top source of goods
Trade volume between Palestine and Türkiye soared in 2022, surpassing $900 million, showcasing a remarkable surge in trade that has expanded over the last five years in both exports and imports
In a significant revelation, a Palestinian official emphasized Türkiye’s dominant presence in Palestinian markets, marking it as the primary source of goods after Israel.
Rashad Yousef, director of policies and planning at the Ministry of National Economy, highlighted the substantial growth in trade between Türkiye and Palestine over the past five years.
Between 50-60% of produce on Palestinian table is Turkish
Yousef underscored that Türkiye has emerged as the largest contributor to Palestinian markets, with a trade volume exceeding $900 million in 2022, showing a remarkable 12% increase from the previous year.
“The Turkish products are significantly present in Palestine. Between 50%-60% of the produce on the Palestinian table are Turkish,” Yousef added.
Yousef further elaborated that Türkiye not only leads in exports to Palestine but also facilitates an increase in Palestinian product share within the Turkish market.
He outlined the key Turkish exports to Palestine, including iron, wood, vegetable oil, tobacco, food products, and plastic items.
‘Israel has complete control over border crossings’
Regarding border crossings, the official clarified the lack of Palestinian control, stating that all imported goods must pass through Israel.
Yousef emphasized Israel’s complete authority over border crossings, with imports arriving at Israeli seaports before being transported to Palestinian territories via trucks.
“Israel has complete control over the border crossings as Palestinian imports arrive at Haifa or Ashdod (Israeli) seaports, and the goods are then transported to Palestinian territories via trucks,” Yousef said.
While Türkiye offers diverse industries essential to Palestine, Yousef lamented the restrictive Israeli measures and economic agreements hindering trade partnerships between Palestine and Türkiye.
Moreover, according to data from the Turkish Ministry of Trade, 96.5% of goods sent from Türkiye to Palestine pass through the Mediterranean Sea via the ports of Haifa and Ashdod and then to companies in the West Bank and Gaza.
The data indicated a 33% decline in trade volume between Türkiye and Israel since Tel Aviv launched its devastating war on the Gaza Strip on Oct. 7, 2023.
Source: Newsroom
