My Take | Why Benjamin Netanyahu is becoming Beijing’s best frenemy
Xi’s friendship with Putin comes with serious liabilities, but growing antagonism from Israel may paradoxically benefit China even more
Not too long ago, Benjamin Netanyahu told Xi Jinping that Israel expected Beijing to play a bigger role in the Middle East, saying China should “assume its rightful place … on the world stage”.
“I believe this is a marriage made in heaven,” he added. He doesn’t think that any more.
The October 7 terrorist attacks by Hamas – and Israel’s genocidal response – have changed all that. It’s not just the Netanyahu government but the Israeli public have soured on China as a result of Beijing’s diplomatic defence of Palestinian rights, outspoken criticism of Israel’s military responses and growing ties with Iran. According to a recent survey, about a third of Israeli Jews said their perception of China had turned negative from positive previously.
Israeli and Chinese diplomats have clashed repeatedly at the United Nations. Washington has blasted Beijing for supporting Tehran. But the Chinese will not cry too much over the looming war between the US-Israeli alliance and the “axis of resistance” of Iran, Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis.
Short of an unlikely decisive blow to neutralise the three Hs and effect a regime change in Iran, the Israeli-American alliance may end up with another “forever war”. That will suit China just fine.
During America’s last “forever war” under the banner of “war on terror”, China’s economy grew to become the world’s second largest. Another “forever war”, even if fought mainly by allied Israel, will distract the US and give Beijing enough breathing space to recover economically and fortify its geopolitical position in the Indo-Pacific.
And let’s not forget Ukraine. It’s Russia and Iran that are being drawn into an increasingly overt military alliance, but China is not necessarily aligning with either one of them.
