Evaluation of Palestine Commodity Exports Performance using Foreign Trade Indices (2000-2014)

Abstract

The study aimed evaluate the Palestinian commodity exports during (2000-2014) by using a sample of quantitative foreign trade indices: (Concentration of exports, intra industry trade, revealed comparative advantage, trade intensity, export specialization). The results have shown that the Palestinian exports are varied and the manufactured goods have a great importance in the Palestinian economy. They have also shown distinction in the sectors of (food & live animals, beverages and tobacco, animals and vegetable oils, fats and waxes, and manufactured goods classified chiefly by material) with a revealed comparative advantage. There's trade concentration on a main partner "Israel occupation" in the direction of the Palestinian trade. Furthermore, the Palestinian exports may have revealed comparative advantages in the aforementioned sectors that can specialize in markets other than the Israeli market, like Saudi Arabia, Turkey, UAE, Jordan, and Egypt.