"The leaders of China, Russia and North Korea are looking at him and laughing. He is medically impaired, and that is a threat to our national security," Donald Trump said in a Fox News interview while campaigning for president. He was referring to then-President Joe Biden's health, which became a central issue in the last US election and ultimately led Biden to withdraw from the race.
Politicians' health has always played a significant role in election campaigns. But what would happen if candidates' medical information fell into Iranian hands? The threat is real. Imagine the following scenario: Just weeks before an election, campaigns emerge that combine candidates' private medical information with fake news in an attempt to disrupt Israel's democratic process. Iran has extensive experience in precisely this kind of influence operation.
During the military campaign launched by the US and Israel in March, intelligence officials revealed that China had collected intelligence on American targets and transferred it to Iran. At the same time, Israeli hospitals have purchased increasing amounts of Chinese equipment in recent years. Such devices are now widely used in sensitive departments, including intensive care units. It is no secret that virtually any connected product manufactured in China can potentially serve as a sensor for collecting information on Beijing's behalf.
Chinese citizens are taught that spying for the state, which they are encouraged to view as standing "above the world," is both an honor and a duty. From China's perspective, everything is governed by national interests. China is a key component of the "axis of evil." As part of its relationship with Iran, it could sell Tehran significant Israeli information, including in the run-up to the elections.
Countries around the world have already begun taking action in response to a growing recognition that China uses its technological products for espionage. In June 2026, the Pentagon designated major Chinese technology companies, including BYD and Alibaba, as "Chinese military companies" that contribute to China's military and defense industries. The companies were consequently placed under heightened scrutiny, and the American public was advised not to purchase their products.
Israel's defense establishment has also taken steps to prohibit the introduction of Chinese-made systems. Security agencies, for example, have barred Chinese vehicles from entering military bases because of concerns that they could leak information. Nevertheless, Israel's health care system, which is also critical to national security, appears to be lagging behind. Officials are denying the risk and continuing to favor cheaper Chinese equipment despite the threat that sensitive information could be transferred to China.
What, then, is the solution?
Israel must immediately prepare a multistage plan overseen by officials from the Defense, Health and Finance ministries. The plan should map Chinese cyber threats to the health care system, ranking them from the most serious to the least significant, and gradually replace equipment deemed vulnerable with devices imported from countries whose regulatory systems differ from China's. Investing in domestic manufacturing is also essential to preserving the independence of Israel's health care system and preventing the country from becoming dependent on imports.
Just as Chinese components must not be installed in Israel Defense Forces weapons systems, Chinese medical technology in Israeli hospitals should be treated with the same degree of caution. The present situation, in which the coming election is directly threatened by a government that actively supports some of Israel's most dangerous enemies, constitutes a national security threat.
Dr. Harel Menashri heads the cyber program and is a senior lecturer at the Holon Institute of Technology. A former member of the team that established the Shin Bet security agency's cyber division, he is an expert on China and also lectures at Tel Aviv University's Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences.
