‘China ties undermine US support for Israel, including annexation’

Warning by US official comes as Chinese firms with links to Tehran bid to build Tel Aviv Light Rail

Israel’s continued openness to Chinese involvement in major infrastructure projects is undermining some Trump administration officials’ support for a continued strong

Israel-US relationship, including backing a move to apply Israeli sovereignty to parts of the West Bank, a US official told The Jerusalem Post on Monday.

The warning came as US Ambassador to Israel David

Friedman headed to Washington for meetings at the White House to determine the US position on the sovereignty options Israel is considering.

The US official spoke weeks before a tender to build two lines of the Tel Aviv Light Rail was set to close. Three of the six international groups bidding for the project include Chinese state-owned companies, most of which worked on railway projects in Iran.

The US official warned that “the Israeli government is trying to have it both ways with us. It wants approval for annexation and the continuation of beneficial economic, diplomatic and security ties, while opening the door to China in critical infrastructure projects [such as] 5G and the light rail.”

Israel’s behavior is “raising eyebrows” in Washington, “even with strong pro-Israel supporters in the administration,” the source said.

However, an official from another part of the Trump administration called it “absurd” to think that US support for moving forward with the Trump peace plan would be linked to Israel’s China policies. He rejected the notion

In addition to wearing a mask at all times, Israel Railways urged passengers to maintain social distancing at all times, and that eating and drinking is not permitted.

One hi-tech employee commuting from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv told The Jerusalem Post that he was excited to “finally be able to take the train” after weeks of bus travel.

“It was pretty empty,” he said. “There was a stand outside the station in Jerusalem to make a reservation, because you need one to enter the station. The train still only goes to Tel Aviv Hahagana station, which was really disappointing.”

Last week, Israel Railways said the extended Jerusalem-Tel Aviv route to Tel Aviv Savidor will open to the public in the “coming weeks.”

Initially, nighttime trains will not be in operation and services connecting Tel Aviv and Jerusalem will not stop at Ben-Gurion Airport.