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Amid ongoing conflict in Israel, many Chinese construction workers choose to stay, prioritizing high wages over evacuation, despite the risks posed by airstrikes and bombings.<\/p>\n
Scores of Chinese construction workers<\/a> in Israel have allegedly chosen not to evacuate the country, with some saying they would rather face bombs than poverty and starvation.<\/p>\n Since the start of the war, the Chinese Embassy in Israel<\/a> has been organizing evacuations of Chinese citizens via the Taba Port in Egypt. There are an estimated 50,000 to 60,000 Chinese construction workers employed in Israel’s construction industry.<\/p>\n However, despite the option to leave, many Chinese workers said they were unwilling to leave, noting higher wages in Israel.<\/p>\n In a video on X, one Chinese construction worker said, \u201cI\u2019m working here, everything is normal. If there\u2019s an air raid siren, you take cover. We\u2019re used to it by now. I hope everyone won\u2019t worry too much. People have asked whether I\u2019ll go back. I\u2019ll tell you: I\u2019ll visit family eventually, but I won\u2019t go back right now. Life isn\u2019t just about having enough to eat. We want freedom. We want to live with dignity.\u201d<\/p>\n In another video, taken from inside a dormitory, a Chinese worker says, \u201cI\u2019d rather be bombed<\/a> to death than die in poverty.”<\/p>\n