Against the backdrop of global rivalry between China and the US, the Sino-Israeli relationship is increasingly stuck between a rock and a hard place. While Israel seeks to navigate this complex setting, its suspicions of Beijing's intentions and actions in the region have been growing, also amid the recent war in Gaza. This paper sheds light on how relations between both countries have developed, which perceptions of China have evolved among Israelis and in Israeli politics, and which chances as well as obstacles may shape the relationship in the future, along implications for the Israeli-American partnership.