When the White House talks, Israel listens. Especially when that message appears to be a one-way street..This is not President Jimmy Carter, calling for increased international condemnation of Israel's human rights record in Gaza or "illegal" settlements — not even close to that, but the current Biden administration has drawn a line in the sand..You might even say, it's an offer they shouldn't refuse..According to a report in Breaking Defense, the US is quietly pressuring Israel to limit academic and research ties with China, over fears Beijing could access military technology through “dual-use” research efforts..Soft pressure began over the summer, when President Joe Biden visited Israel, but has intensified to what one Ministry of Defense source described as a “request that cannot be rejected.”.The move comes as Israel is moving to create stronger bonds with Chinese research institutes, including an agreement launched last year “to attract excellent Chinese students” to come study in Israel..You can imagine how well that went over in the halls of the Pentagon..Nevertheless, Israeli officials were surprised by the focus from Washington, and are now engaged in a back and forth with the White House on how to move forward, Breaking Defense reported..The main source of concern appears to be so-called “dual-use” technologies, the kind of systems that have commercial applications but can also be used in defence products..That includes the kind of tech found in research programs dealing with cyber, space, communications, and long-range observation systems, to name just a few..US officials are also wary of what has been termed China’s “military-civil fusion” effort, where any technology developed for civil or commercial use must also be shared with the military, Breaking Defense reported..In 2020, the US gave $3.8 billion in aid to Israel — part of a long-term, yearly commitment made under the Obama administration, BBC News reported. Almost all of this aid was for military assistance..This support came as part of an agreement signed by former president Barack Obama in 2016 for an overall package of $38 billion in military aid over the decade 2017-2028..This represents an increase of about 6% (adjusted for inflation) over the spending commitment for the previous decade..With this unyielding US support on the table to stay, helping spur the American pressure is the bold Israeli initiative to increase scientific collaboration with Xi Jinping's increasingly aggressive and belligerent China..A nation that now has the biggest navy in the world, and, an established nuclear triad, getting larger by the day..In an Oct. 2021 announcement, the Israeli embassy in Beijing released details about this initiative, stating “The government of Israel attaches great importance to the academic and scientific ties between China and Israel. Large budgets and funds have been already allocated to this important goal.”.It appears that the new agreement with China largely flew under Washington’s radar until around the time of Biden’s July visit to Israel..That has since changed — drastically.. A new F-35 fighter jet at the Nevatim Air Base in southern Israel. (Israel Defense Forces)A new F-35 fighter jet at the Nevatim Air Base in southern Israel. .According to experts, there is no clear consensus on how Israel should respond. Balancing the interest of working with China with US political pressure has been a longstanding challenge for Jerusalem, Breaking Defense reported..A former senior official in the Israeli defense establishment argued that DC needs to come at this issue with a greater understanding of the importance China plays for Israel economically..“There must be a system that will evaluate specific cooperation projects, and not an across-the-board action,” the former official said..Dany Yatom, former head of the Israeli Mossad intelligence agency, told Breaking Defense that Washington may be overplaying its concerns..“I think that in some cases the Americans exaggerate,” Yatom said. “There must be a continuous dialogue with Washington about what can pose a threat to US security and what is innocent.”.Over the years, US aid has helped Israel develop one of the most advanced militaries in the world — a crucial aspect of the Middle East nation's dominance of power and its survival..For example, Israel has purchased 50 5th-Gen F-35 fighter jets, which can be used for missile attacks — 27 of the aircraft have so far been delivered, costing around $90 million each.. Boeing received the long-awaited contract for the production of four KC-46A tankers for the Israeli Air Force (IAF).Boeing received the long-awaited contract for the production of four KC-46A tankers for the Israeli Air Force .Last year Israel also bought eight KC-46A Boeing "Pegasus" aircraft for an estimated $2.4 billon. These are capable of refuelling planes such as the F-35 in mid-air, making air strikes against enemies such as Iran, very possible..Meanwhile, as US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi made her way to East Asia this week for a trip that could drastically change the US-China relationship, an event in Israel was taking place that carried the acknowledgment that Jerusalem’s own relationship with Beijing was already shifting, The Times of Israel reported..“The honeymoon in relations between Israel and China is over,” said former general Assaf Orion at the launch of the Israel-China Policy Center in Tel Aviv..“A series of indicators show that we are in a new period in relations between the countries and ties are now more complex and freighted than before.”.The new centre will be run under the auspices of the Institute for National Security Studies, a Tel Aviv think tank with close ties to Israel’s military and government..Chinese Ambassador to Israel Cai Run attended the opening, along with Intelligence Minister Elazar Stern and senior Israeli diplomats, as well as envoys from India, Vietnam and other countries..At the event, Cai noted that the economic relationship remains strong, saying bilateral trade had shot up from $15 million in 1992 to $22.8 billion in 2021.. U.S. President Joe Biden meets with Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid.U.S. President Joe Biden meets with Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid. .According to Orion, though, both Chinese investments in Israel and Israeli exports to China peaked in 2018..Since then, both indices have been on the decline and in the last six years, the number of Israeli firms exporting to China has dropped by 15% to 480 companies..Israelis, meanwhile, appear split down the middle regarding how they see China, which has been criticized for its stifling authoritarianism and alleged crimes against humanity against the Muslim Uyghur minority, The Times of Israel reported..Going by the results of a Pew survey released in June, 48% hold favorable views of China, more than in any other Western country surveyed, while 46% were down on Beijing..In any case, Biden & Co. have shaken the tree — enough to get Israel's attention.."We have no dilemma about who is our most important ally and we are more mindful about US concerns and more transparent than we were in the past," said one senior Israeli official.."But we are not going to avoid doing things with China that the US is not avoiding.". The US is pressuring Israel to limit ties with the PRC.The US is pressuring Israel to limit ties with the PRC.
