US-Israel relations are generally considered to be rock solid, having survived many changes of administration and moves by both parties that weren’t always beneficial to the other.

The cornerstone of that seemingly unshakable connection is a shared faith in the Bible. But as more and more Americans no longer live their lives according to the Word of God, US national interests today rival Christian faith as the driving force behind their government policies vis-à-vis the Jewish state. For many, American nationalism has become their religion.

Enter China, and we begin to see that US-Israel relations are perhaps not so unassailable as many had hoped.

What’s the deal?

Israel has for years been cultivating warmer ties with China. There are two big reasons (and many smaller ones) for this: China is a growing consumer of Israeli products, in particular its technological innovations (including in the military sphere); China is a major player in the Middle East, politically and economically, and Israel needs to make sure it doesn’t end up wholly siding with the Arabs.