It remains unclear if a senior Israeli official will testify on behalf of a Jewish-American couple suing the Bank of China for what they claim is its funding of Palestinian terrorists, Commentary Magazine reported on Wednesday:
Israeli officials had initially encouraged a Jewish-American couple, Tully and Sheryl Wultz of Florida, to sue the Bank of China, because of evidence that, as the Wall Street Journal puts it, "the bank knowingly allowed Iran to use it to deliver funds to the Palestinian militant group that killed their 16-year-old son Daniel in a 2006 suicide bombing in Tel Aviv."
But the case, in a New York federal court, only has a chance of succeeding if the Israeli government allows "a pending deposition by a former Israeli intelligence official, who is expected to testify that he was present at 2005 meetings in which Israeli officials told China that Bank of China accounts were being used to fund militant organizations including Islamic Jihad, the Palestinian outfit that claimed responsibility for the attack that killed Daniel Wultz." The official’s testimony could establish the bank’s negligence and culpability–but will he be allowed to testify?
Last year, [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu approved the testimony and informed the family and members of Congress of his decision. But now things are far from clear because of reports that Netanyahu, who visited China last month, is wavering under heavy Chinese pressure. Israel and the People’s Republic of China already have well-established trade links–China is one of the best customers for Israel’s arms industry. In fact Israel has gotten into hot water with the U.S. in the past for its willingness to sell sophisticated technology to Beijing that could one day be used against the U.S. Armed Forces and U.S. allies. Now China appears to be upping the ante.