As secretary of state, Mike Pompeo has relentlessly resisted communist China. Speaking at the Berlin Wall last November, Pompeo encapsulated the civilizational struggle that China poses to the U.S. democratic international order.
But Pompeo’s record has one failure here: a refusal to sufficiently pressure Israel over its close relationship with Beijing.
Pompeo continued with that record on Monday. Speaking at the 2020 AIPAC summit, the secretary of state offered not one word of even mild concern over Israel’s close support for China’s technological development. At a conference designed to celebrate the exceptionally close relationship between our two countries, this was the perfect time to talk up. It was a time to explain why Israel matters deeply to America, even if not to Bernie Sanders. And to then explain why America needs Israel’s help with its China challenge.
Pompeo wasted the opportunity.
And that matters because, even if inadvertently, Israel’s exceptional technology industry is helping China in ways that hurt America. Every time China is able to build out its software and hardware base with Israeli support, it increases its cyber-espionage competencies and its military sensor and targeting technologies. These things pose a threat to the lives of American sailors in particular.
That isn’t Israel’s intent, of course.
While Israel regards the U.S. as its closest ally, its formative history has shaped an understanding that it cannot rely on any one nation. The Obama administration’s isolation of Israel reinforced these attitudes at a time where China’s economic and political power was surging. Israel thus sought to bolster its China links as a hedge against future relations with America. Viewing the rise of Bernie Sanders and the boycott-divestment movement, it’s understandable that Israel might still want to hedge its bets.
Still, from an American interest point of view, Israel’s relationship with China has now gone too far. And it’s not just about technology. China’s securing of Israel’s Haifa port last December jeopardizes U.S. military operations in the Mediterranean Sea. Pompeo needs to redress the alliance balance here by taking the same approach he applies to other key allies.
Visiting London last year, for example, Pompeo openly called on Britain to restrict China’s Huawei spy agency from its 5G network. “I know it’s a sensitive topic,” Pompeo said, “but we have to talk about sensitive things as friends.” That rhetoric is exactly right. While Britain has now granted Huawei access to certain elements of its 5G network, Pompeo was right to do all he could do to persuade London to go in the other direction. Public pressure included. The stakes demanded it.
Yes, Israel has the right and economic interest to continue trading with China. But for America’s sake, Israel should keep the most valuable areas of technology industry and critical infrastructure off-limits to Beijing. America’s victory in a future war may depend on it.
Pompeo’s unimpeachable pro-Israel credentials give him a unique opportunity for influence. He should use it.
