Umph. I really don't want to see Israel go this direction. I don't want to see them tied to a tanking US economy either, or soft-pedaling Russia... but no deal

Umph. I really don't want to see Israel go this direction. I don't want to see them tied to a tanking US economy either, or soft-pedaling Russia... but no deal with China is good news. This gives way too much ammunition to forces in the West, left and right, who want to shut Israel's economy down; and the payback if any would be vassalization to China. This reminds me of the time I tried to play CK3 starting as a Jewish vassal, took over most of the Middle East and then got annihilated in a mutual jihad + crusade. You start out with not many alliances, and they get thinner every move you make, considering the whole world wants to annihilate you from the start. Perhaps (hopefully) I'm a lot less wily than the actual Israelis.