No need, Razan, for you to go to China – come to Huwara, China is here.” Though said jokingly by my friend Ahmad, who asked his full name be withheld for security reasons, these words carried a heavy truth.
Huwara is a small Palestinian village near Nablus, surrounded by some of the most violent and ideologically extreme Zionist settlements in the country, including Yitzhar.
When I asked what he meant, he told me: “Chinese workers are living and working in nearby settlements. I see them regularly in the village streets, shopping at local Palestinian stores.”
That offhand remark a couple of months ago pushed me to investigate further. I spoke with Palestinians across the occupied West Bank and collected their testimonies. Ali, who lives in Ramallah near the Beit El settlement, told me: “I’ve seen dozens of Chinese workers building homes and infrastructure in Beit El.”
Saeed, from Hebron, recalled that “during the Covid-19 pandemic, settlers even quarantined the Chinese workers separately from others”. …..more
