Israeli-Chinese ties scrutinized by US
Washington might soon demand that Israel pick a side in the security and trade conflict between the United States and China.
Against the backdrop of increasing tensions between Washington and Beijing, Israel’s ties with China are being closely scrutinized by the American administration. According to reports on May 19, the United States has been asking its allies, Israel included, to eliminate its ties with China in sensitive areas with security risks. The issue was also discussed during the May 13 visit of US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to Israel.
In his meetings in Israel, Pompeo warned Israel against the Chinese participation in infrastructure projects, hinting at a tender for building a huge desalination plant in the south of Israel (Sorek 2 near Ashdod). But recent reports say the United States is also scrutinizing Israeli ties with China involving other spheres. For instance, a May 18 report by Bloomberg suggests that Israeli academics' ties with Chinese counterparts are also on the US radar, particularly academic projects involving technology research and development.
