Hakol HaYehudi Investigation: Palestinian Authority Officers undergoing military training in China

Hakol HaYehudi Investigation: Officers from the Palestinian Authority's military forces are being sent for major military training in China, with some specializing in armor, advanced navigation, and naval operations.

References to training programs undertaken by PA personnel in China trace back as far as the COVID-19 pandemic, when Arab media reported that PA operatives staying in the country were safe and sound. At the time, however, the specific courses and training tracks remained obscure. While some of those earlier programs focused on physical fitness instruction or disaster response such as earthquake rescue operations, the year 2022 marked a pivotal turning point in the expansion of military training programs.

During that period, Major General Mahmoud Harun, head of the PA's Military Training Authority, met with China’s representative. The two sides explicitly discussed establishing new training programs and courses, dispatching Palestinian security personnel for professional military instruction, and exchanging operational expertise.

This phenomenon has increased in recent years. According to the Palestinian Authority’s own reports, the scope and specialization of these courses have dramatically expanded to include snipers, armored corps, and anti-tank warfare—alongside various command courses attended by dozens of PA operatives. Several of these courses span multiple months.

Furthermore, just a month and a half ago, the Chinese consul to "Palestine" met again with Mahmoud Harun, commander of the PA's Military Training System. Harun publicly thanked China for granting his forces these advanced military courses.

Command of an Armored Company

To grasp the true nature of these courses, one can look at the example of Hassan Taha, a Palestinian Authority officer who posted on his Facebook account on July 20, 2026, that he had completed his training at China's Military Academy of Armored Forces and Armament in Beijing.

According to Taha, he completed a specialized course focused on commanding companies of armored and mechanized vehicles.

"This program constituted a significant milestone in my military career; it enriched my knowledge, strengthened my leadership skills and professional capabilities, and prepared me to fulfill my national duty with efficiency and skill," he wrote.

In photos he published, he appears alongside a Chinese military officer , and next to "Brigadier General" Ahmad al-Shami, the military attaché at the Palestinian Authority embassy in China.

Another officer is Major Ahmad al-Humaydi, a member of the Palestinian Authority’s Military Sports Association, who recently completed a course in China and received certification as a military sports instructor. Yet another officer recently posted that he completed Chinese language studies at the military academy.

Similarly, Musa al-Amur, another PA officer, completed a Chinese language course in July 2026 at one of China’s military colleges.

These expanding training programs in China over recent years are taking place in parallel with a growing number of military courses for PA officers in Turkey, where dozens of PA officers have been sent in recent years.

We previously exposed at Hakol HaYehudi that PA operatives were undergoing military training in Pakistan—including instruction in armor, artillery, sniping, heavy machine guns, and parachuting. At the time, the defense establishment claimed they were unaware of the training, despite the fact that it was openly posted on social media.

It should be noted that portions of the material for this investigation were gathered by Benayahu Mellet, of blessed memory, who was murdered in a terrorist attack near Havat Gilad in Samaria, as well as by his brother Amishav. Benayahu devoted extensive efforts to monitoring the activities of the Palestinian Authority and founded the "Organized Enemy" channel, dedicated to exposing and highlighting the military preparation of the Palestinian Authority against Israel.

Responses:

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich reacted to the investigation: "For a long time now, I have been saying clearly—there is no alternative to the total dissolution of the Palestinian Authority and the complete cancellation of the Oslo Accords.

Right under our noses, terror networks of tens of thousands of terrorists are being prepared, threatening the lives of all Israeli citizens. This is an existential threat and October 7th on steroids. That is precisely why, for the past year and a half, I have not transferred a single shekel to the PA, understanding that every shekel handed to them goes directly to terrorism. Therefore, we will have no choice but to launch a preemptive war in Judea and Samaria to prevent this. If, God forbid, a left-wing government led by Eisenkot, Golan, and Lieberman is elected next week, it will lead to the establishment of a Palestinian terror state that will endanger our lives and funnel the billions of shekels to the PA that I personally blocked with my own hands. That is what this election is about."

MK Zvi Sukkot, Chairman of the Subcommittee for Judea and Samaria Affairs and Chairman of the Education Committee, responded: "This is a severe security red flag that must not be ignored. While Israel faces growing, significant threats and is preparing more than ever for a  scenario in Judea and Samaria in which the PA weapons are turned against us, we cannot shut our eyes to Palestinian Authority officers undergoing military training in China in armor and command—something enabled by the left-wing policy that produced the Oslo Accords, a crime that must be wiped from this world as soon as possible.

I demand that the defense establishment immediately examine the scope of the threat posed by these training programs, the capabilities acquired through them, and the potential implications in a scenario in which the PA uses its weapons against us. As Chairman of the Judea and Samaria Subcommittee, I will act to ensure this threat is examined with the gravity it requires. This is a grave security event that underscores the immediate threat to Israeli citizens, and we must not continue turning a blind eye."

We reached out to several government ministers, including members of the Security Cabinet, but most of those we contacted stated they had never heard of these training programs.

We also requested official responses from the Prime Minister’s Office, the Ministry of Defense, the Shin Bet, COGAT/Civil Administration, and the IDF. We asked whether these training programs are known and authorized, and whether the defense establishment and the political leadership intend to halt them or prevent the return to Israel of those PA officers currently stationed in China.

The Ministry of Defense spokesperson referred us to COGAT; the Civil Administration referred us to the IDF; and the IDF referred us right back to the Civil Administration.

Ultimately, the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit issued the following terse response:"The IDF acts proactively and offensively to neutralize all threats against the citizens of the State of Israel."

The Shin Bet and the Prime Minister’s Office have yet to provide a response; we will publish them as soon as they are received.