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    Home was the West Bank; today it's the U.S. These expats hope to bring change to both

    Palestinian-Americans are spending big to help spur economic development in the village of Silwad in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. But they are also working to effect change back in the U.S.
    by D. Parvaz Mar 07, 2024 6 minutes
    A view of the mosque known as the "Hamas mosque" in Silwad. The town is the birthplace of Khaled Mashal, a founding member of the militant group behind the Oct. 7 attack on Israel. Those who don't support Hamas — a sizable majority in the West Bank — attend other mosques in Silwad.

    SILWAD, West Bank — The hilltop village of Silwad, roughly nine miles east of Ramallah, is over 300 years old, with winding narrow streets and crumbling, abandoned old storefronts overlooking lush valleys.

    It's hemmed in by an Israeli settlement, Ofra, to the south, and an Israeli military facility to the east. To the west of the village, Route 60 further prevents any growth for Silwad.

    At the top of the road leading into the heart of the village is Silwad Mall & Tower — the first reminder of expat Palestinian dollars flowing into this community in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. A shiny, block-long development capped with a stout cylindrical mall, featuring a large pizzeria, boutiques and a two-story travel agency that specializes in U.S. visas and travel.

    Ahmad Ajaj, 24, works at Flyers Pizza on the ground floor and says the owner, a Palestinian-American, isn't in town right now. He says American dollars help keep Silwad afloat.

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