China and Israel...

Most Chinese were supportive of Israel during the Gaza war...

During the war, both the Israeli Embassy in Beijing and the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem received e-mails from average Chinese voicing support.

All told, roughly 65 percent of all talkbacks and blog comments were favorable. The occasional anti-Semitic comments which cropped up in the blogosphere were strongly rejected by the hundreds.

Much credit for burnishing the country's image in China goes to the embassy in Beijing, which initiated numerous press conferences and whose diplomats gave many interviews highlighting Israel's perspective.

ANTICIPATING HOW Israel would be demonized for human rights violations, I turned to the embassy Web site for background on Israel's "Save a Child's Heart" program. In November 2008, Save a Child's Heart brought Israeli physicians to Hebei, one of China's largest provinces, to operate on eight children and examine 200. Since 1988, it has saved 80 Chinese children. When I forwarded this information, along with local reports, to my Chinese business partners, I was overwhelmed by their warm response.

What really touched the hearts of the Chinese was Israel's gratitude for the rescue of two Israeli students near the epicenter of the May 2008, Sichuan earthquake. The ambassador visited Sichuan a number of times to present government donations as well as private contributions. This generated tremendous support for Israel.