Allies, Foes, and Frenemies: Untangling America’s Obsession With Israel and China

Have you ever found yourself more worked up about a messy kitchen than the actual broken pipe flooding your basement? That's how I feel scrolling through heated arguments about Israel and missing the tidal wave that is China’s global rise. Once, at a family dinner, my uncle ranted for 30 minutes about foreign aid to Israel but couldn’t name the US’s number one trading partner. That’s when it hit me: Are we missing the plot entirely? Let’s look beyond the headlines and ask: why do certain alliances flare up into controversy while more pressing global tremors go almost unnoticed?

The Weird Double Standard: Why Israel Is America’s Perennial Lightning Rod

Imagine you’re at a college event. Someone waves a British flag—no one bats an eye. Swap it for an Israeli flag, and suddenly the room feels tense. If it’s a Chinese flag, you’ll hear whispers, but the outrage is different—more about geopolitics than suspicion. This is the strange double standard at the heart of the US-Israel alliance and American public opinion on Israel. Why does Israel, more than almost any other country, become the lightning rod for American debate?

Flags, Friends, and Frenemies: The Visual Test

Let’s start with a simple test: flags. If you see the Union Jack at a US rally, it’s just a nod to the “special relationship.” But if someone waves an Israeli flag, the conversation shifts. People start asking, “Is it okay to be this cozy with a foreign institution?” As one observer put it,

“If that flag was red with some yellow stars, you’d have a lot more beef than the Israel flag that they’re holding up. That’s a China reference for anybody at home wondering.”

Historical Suspicion: The Conspiracy Undercurrent

There’s a persistent feeling in American discourse that “there’s something nefarious going on” whenever Israel or Jews are discussed. This isn’t just about foreign policy. It’s a deep-rooted suspicion, fueled by centuries of conspiracy theories and scapegoating. Even today, you’ll hear people “just asking questions” about why Jews or Israel seem to be at the center of so many debates. The cycle is familiar: economic insecurity rises, populist waves swell, and suddenly, attention turns to minorities—especially those visible in finance or politics.

Historically, Jews have been stereotyped as bankers or power brokers. This stereotype gets recycled every era, especially during times of crisis. The US-Israel alliance, with its visible lobbying and media coverage, becomes an easy target. When people feel squeezed, they look for someone to blame. As one commentator noted, “Why throughout history do people end up turning on the Jews? Why is there pogroms? Why is this something that we see over and over and over?”

Populism and the Search for Scapegoats

Populist moments in America almost always bring a hunt for scapegoats. When the economy feels shaky, people ask, “Who’s holding me down?” The answer often lands on whoever is most visible in finance or politics. If Jews are disproportionately represented in banking, or if Israel is in the headlines for lobbying Congress, the outrage can be swift and intense. This isn’t unique to Israel, but the scrutiny is far more severe than for other US allies.

• US foreign aid to Israel: Israel is the largest recipient of US aid (adjusted for inflation), even though the US and Israel have no formal treaty alliance like NATO countries.
• Lobbying and influence: Israeli lobbying is treated as uniquely suspicious, while similar efforts by other nations—like Saudi Arabia or the UK—rarely make headlines.

Disproportionate Outrage: The Israel Exception

Here’s a personal anecdote: One day, my Twitter feed exploded over a story about the Israel lobby. Every take, every thread, every meme seemed to be about “undue influence” and “shadowy deals.” Yet, just a week earlier, news about Chinese-owned farmland in the US barely made a ripple outside niche corners of the internet. The difference? Israel is always front and center in American debates, while other countries’ activities are rationalized or ignored.

This isn’t to say that scrutiny is always unwarranted. But the intensity is out of proportion. The US public and politicians routinely prioritize Israel in debates, far beyond what you see with other alliances or rivalries. The US unconditional support for Israel is questioned and dissected in a way that support for the UK, Japan, or even Saudi Arabia rarely is.

Why Israel? The Roots of the Lightning Rod

So why is Israel America’s perennial lightning rod? It’s a mix of history, visibility, and old suspicions. The US-Israel alliance is highly public, and Israel’s role in Middle East stability is always under the microscope. But beneath the surface, there’s a current of conspiracy and scapegoating that flares up whenever populism rises or the economy falters. As long as these cycles continue, Israel will remain at the center of America’s most heated debates.

China: The Real Elephant in the War Room (While Everyone’s Arguing Over Mice)

Imagine you’re sitting in America’s war room. The air is thick with arguments about Israel—its lobbying, its influence, its every move. But while everyone’s shouting about mice, the real elephant is quietly rearranging the furniture. That elephant is China. If you listen closely, you’ll hear a few voices trying to shift the conversation: “China is the game that matters… Xi is so much more adept than the Israels could ever hope to be.” But most people aren’t listening. They’re too busy watching the wrong door.

China’s Economic Playbook: From Humiliation to Global Power

Step back for a second. China’s rise didn’t happen overnight. After decades of what they call the “Century of Humiliation,” China’s leaders—especially Deng Xiaoping—decided to play a different game. They opened up markets, welcomed foreign investment, and focused on one simple rule: “It doesn’t matter if the cat is black or white, as long as it catches mice.” In other words, results matter more than ideology. That’s economic pragmatism at its finest.

While Americans debated Middle Eastern drama, China quietly became the world’s factory. US companies sent manufacturing jobs overseas, and the headlines screamed about Israel and Epstein. Meanwhile, China was collecting hundreds of billions—over US$300 billion—from American consumers and businesses. That’s not just trade; it’s a transfer of power.

China Investments in Israel: The Quiet Power Play

Here’s where it gets interesting. While the US obsesses over Israel’s lobbying, China has been making strategic moves in Israel itself. Chinese investments in Israeli infrastructure—like the Haifa port—sparked serious national security concerns in Washington. The US even pressured Israel to slow down its growing ties with China, delaying formal diplomatic relations for years. But the reality is, Sino-Israeli partnerships are growing, especially in tech and infrastructure. China’s economic rise isn’t just about factories; it’s about influence, alliances, and soft power.

Wild Card: What If We Debated Chinese Farmland Buys Like We Debate Israel?

Here’s a thought experiment: What if Americans spent 80% of their time debating China’s investments—like buying farmland near US military bases—instead of just Israel? You’d see a national conversation about Chinese soft power, about how economic strategy can be more dangerous than any lobbyist. Yet, these stories barely make the news. The outrage is selective, and the focus is off.

• China quietly acquires farmland near sensitive US military sites.
• Chinese companies invest in critical infrastructure worldwide.
• US security experts raise alarms, but the public barely notices.

Ask yourself: If people aren’t banging the drum about China buying farmland next to military bases, does it really make sense to obsess over Israel’s every move?

The Distraction Game: Why the Focus on Israel Helps China

Every minute spent arguing about Israel is a minute not spent on the real challenge. China’s economic strategy is shaking the world order, but Americans are distracted by old debates. The reason? Economics is power. If you don’t understand the game, you can’t play it—let alone win it. The elites know this. They’ve mapped out a fiscal playbook that works, and China is running with it on a global scale.

The reason that people are so disenfranchised today is precisely because they don't understand economics.

China’s leaders aren’t hiding their ambitions. They’re building relationships, investing in technology, and buying influence—sometimes literally. The game is knowable, but you have to look past the noise. When you see headlines about Israel, ask yourself what’s happening in the background. Who’s buying up the supply chains? Who’s setting the terms of global trade?

Flashback: The World Let China Take Over Manufacturing

Remember when the world let China take on global manufacturing? American factories closed, jobs vanished, and China became the workshop of the world. But the headlines were all about Israel, Epstein, and the latest scandal. That’s how you miss the big picture. China’s economic rise changed everything—from supply chains to national security. And yet, the debate rarely shifts.

So next time you hear someone arguing about Israel, ask them about China’s farmland, its ports, its tech partnerships. Because while everyone’s arguing over mice, the real elephant is already in the room—moving the pieces, setting the rules, and quietly winning the game.

Ranking Problems, Not Just Picking Sides: What Really Threatens America’s Future?

Imagine you walk into your apartment and the kitchen is a mess—dirty dishes, moldy milk in the fridge, and crumbs everywhere. Annoying, right? But then you look over and see your roommate freebasing heroin on the couch. Suddenly, the moldy milk seems like the least of your problems. This isn’t just a wild analogy; it’s a mirror for how America debates its foreign policy priorities. While the public and the media rage about Israel’s lobbying, aid, and intelligence shenanigans—the messy kitchen—there’s a much bigger, more dangerous problem in the room: China’s economic and strategic rise, threatening US global dominance and national security in ways that make the kitchen drama look trivial.

You hear it everywhere: “Israel gets the most US aid,” “They spy on us,” “Why do we give them special treatment?” These are real issues, and they deserve scrutiny. But ask yourself—are these the existential threats that will shape your future, your job, your children’s prosperity? Or are we, as a nation, stuck fighting yesterday’s controversies while today’s true challenges slide by unnoticed?

Let’s put it in context. America has spent over $8 trillion on wars in the Middle East, much of it justified by the need to protect allies and secure energy market security. Israel, for all its headlines, has no formal defense treaty with the US. Our “alliance” is more symbolic than binding, and while Israel receives more US aid than any other country, the real leverage—economic, technological, and strategic—flows elsewhere. Meanwhile, China is quietly and relentlessly building the kind of power that can actually upend America’s place in the world.

Here’s the uncomfortable truth: People do not understand the economic calamity that will be China overtaking the US. While Congress and the US foreign policy elite keep the spotlight on Israel’s controversies, China is making moves that could end US strategic dominance for good. China’s ambitions aren’t just about trade or technology—they’re about rewriting the rules of global influence, controlling supply chains, and setting the pace for the world’s economy. If you care about national security concerns, about your job, about the price of goods, or about America’s ability to shape the future, China is the heroin in the fridge.

So why do we keep obsessing over the messy kitchen? Part of it is habit—Israel has been at the center of US foreign policy debates for decades. There’s also the emotional pull: Israel’s story is tangled up with American identity, values, and history. But nostalgia and symbolism don’t pay the bills, and they won’t stop US strategic decline if we keep missing the bigger picture.

It’s not that Israel’s actions—lobbying, intelligence operations, or even controversial policies—don’t matter. They do, just like you still need to clean your kitchen. But if you’re ignoring the fact that someone is freebasing heroin in your living room, your priorities are dangerously out of order. America’s obsession with Israel’s every move, while China quietly builds the capacity to challenge US global dominance, is a recipe for disaster.

Here’s the meta-question: Are we, as a country, capable of ranking our problems instead of just picking sides? Can we hold more than one thought in our heads at once—acknowledging the messiness of our alliances, while also recognizing the existential threat posed by China’s rise? Or will we let yesterday’s controversies distract us from today’s urgent challenges?

The answer matters. Because while we argue about special treatment, foreign aid, and old grievances, China is playing the long game. If we don’t wake up to the scale of the challenge, we risk losing not just the kitchen, but the whole house. In the end, the real threat to America’s future isn’t just about who gets the most money or who spies on whom—it’s about whether we can see past the mess and confront the crisis that could define our century.

TL;DR: Americans love to debate Israel, but real global power shifts are happening with China. Maybe it’s time to rethink where we focus our energy—and ask whether our allies should still be at the top of our worry list.