'Dragon-bear' alliance may pose challenges for Israel: Report

Tel Aviv [Israel], March 10 : Beijing's deepening ties with Moscow and its pro-Kremlin approach, especially visible in the ongoing Ukraine-Russia crisis, could push Israel to choose sides between China-Russia and US alliance, writes Sergio Restelli in a local newspaper.
In his blog in The Times of Israel, Restelli wrote that the declaration of an eternal friendship between China and Russia when Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin met in Beijing in February was reflected when China abstained from voting on the motion condemning the Russian invasion of Ukraine in UN Security Council and the General Assembly.
However, China's silence on the Ukraine-Russia crisis goes against its principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of other nations that it advocates while claiming Taiwan and Hong Kong as a part of its mainland. Supporting Russia which is invading Ukraine against all international laws is equal to losing the moral high ground to keep the US interfering in Taiwan or Hong Kong.
Notably, China has spent years of goodwill and investment in projects in Ukraine as part of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) project, which might be jeopardized due to its current stance on the situation.
China's abstention on Russia as well as more recently, news that it is evaluating the purchase of shares in Russian oil and gas companies, as well as allowing Russian banks to use UnionPay to replace Mastercard and Visa, are costing it its hard-earned credibility in the international fora, wrote Restelli in his blog.
Though it has repeatedly challenged the formation of the Quad in the Indo-Pacific, this seems more of an attempt to develop a China-Russia-Pakistan triad against the US and US interests, he added.
While choosing the Russian side may cost China its influence on the world community and adversely impact its economic ties with Ukraine as well as the rest of Europe, this new alliance of the "dragon-bear" also poses a challenge for Israel which enjoys close relationships with both countries as well as the US and Ukraine.
Israel Prime Minister Naftali Bennett has already made several attempts at mediation as his country's interest is intrinsically tied with the Russia-Ukraine quagmire. Israel needs Russia on Iran, Syria and to address several security issues in the Middle East. However, it cannot turn its back on Ukraine or its all-time ally - the United States, which has been severely condemning Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
While Bennett has tried his best to play peacemaker, he might have to be prepared for a new geopolitical era where he has to choose sides between a China-Russia or US alliance, wrote Restelli in his blog.