Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in his visit to Singapore on Monday that “Israel is pivoting towards Asia in a very clear and purposeful way.”
“Next month I’ll go to China, somewhat later this year Prime Minister Modi of India will come to visit Israel,” Netanyahu said at a state dinner hosted by Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. “Perfectly poised between China and India is Singapore and I’m not speaking merely in a geographic sense, I’m saying that as a gateway to Asia, Singapore is a perfect partner.”
“Israeli companies already understand that and I hope that after this visit, many more will understand that,” he added. “We believe in Singapore, we admire Singapore, we admire the consistent leadership and vision that you had and that you continue to exemplify, Prime Minister.”
Netanyahu also shared his hope that greater engagement with Asian nations and the Arab world could help Israel achieve peace with the Palestinians.
For his part, Lee expressed appreciation that Netanyahu could reciprocate his visit to Israel last April, and reiterated his nation’s gratitude for Israel’s help in establishing its armed forces:
Singapore and Israel are old friends. When we became independent, the IDF helped us build and train the [Singapore Armed Forces]. Today, our ties extend to investments, technology and R&D. Our universities and research institutes have exchanges and joint research projects, and we are planning further collaboration with each other.
Lee explained while speaking at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem last year how “in August 1965, when Singapore unexpectedly became independent, the Israeli Defense Forces helped us to develop the Singapore Armed Forces.”
“We asked a number of countries. We were starting from zero base; we needed to build up an armed forces urgently from scratch. But only Israel responded to us, and it did so very promptly,” he recalled.
“Without the IDF, the SAF could not have grown its capabilities, deterred threats, defended our island, and reassured Singaporeans and investors that Singapore was secure, and that Singapore had a future,” Lee added. “We will always be grateful that Israel helped us and stood by us, at our time of great need.”
Herb Keinon, diplomatic correspondent for The Jerusalem Post, observed on Monday that Singapore’s fear of its northern neighbor, the virulently anti-Israel Malaysia, compelled it to develop close ties with Israel. “Geography is destiny, and ever since Malaysia expelled Singapore in 1965, the country has lived in fear of a Malaysian invasion; especially as it is a country with a booming, bustling economy, contrasted to the situation of its northern neighbor,” Keinon wrote.
[Photo: Haim Zach/ GPO ]