The U.S. Is Pressuring Israel to Rethink Investment From China

Gray concrete walls rise out of the Mediterranean off the coast of Haifa in northern Israel, part of what, by 2021, is supposed to be among the world’s most advanced class of seaports. The future shipping terminal, along with another being built farther down the seaboard in Ashdod, constitutes an effort to attract larger vessels and more trade to Israel, whose blue-and-white flag waves over the construction site. It’s also been a major source of tension with the U.S., Israel’s closest international ally, because of what’s flying nearby: the red and yellow colors of the People’s Republic of China.

U.S. President Trump has sought to portray China as the world’s adversary on trade, ratcheting up tariffs against its goods and encouraging others to put pressure on the rising superpower. This has proved difficult, in no small part because of China’s “Belt and Road” initiative, a global infrastructure development program that’s grown to involve almost $600 billion of construction, with more than 130 countries either signing deals or expressing interest, ­including Israel. In 2015 the Israeli government extended a 25-year offer for the operation of the Haifa terminal to state-controlled Shanghai International Port Group.