Israel–Singapore relations
Israel |
Singapore |
---|---|
Diplomatic mission | |
Embassy of Israel in Singapore | Embassy of the Republic of Singapore, Tel Aviv |
Envoy | |
Ambassador Eliyahu Vered Hazan | Ambassador Lim Chuan Poh |
Israel–Singapore relations, also referred to as Israeli–Singaporean relations, refers to the
Both countries formally established diplomatic relations in May 1969, although unofficial and discreet relations were already established a few years prior, particularly in regards to military relations. The two nations are known to share a special relationship and enjoys an extensive security partnership, with Israeli and Singaporean arms industries such as Israel Aerospace Industries and ST Engineering engaging in joint development and a large level of military trade between the two countries.[3][4]
Israel has an embassy in the Tanglin district of Singapore. Singapore was previously represented by a non–resident ambassador based in Singapore and had an honorary consulate in Tel Aviv. On 21 March 2022, Singapore and Israel announced that Singapore would be establishing an embassy in Tel Aviv, which began operations later that year.[5][6] The current Israeli Ambassador to Singapore is Eliyahu Vered Hazan[7] and the current Singaporean Ambassador to Israel is Lim Chuan Poh.[8]
History
Singapore was
To protect the newly independent nation from external threats, the Singaporean government decided to model its armed forces, the
In April 1986, the Singapore Minister for Foreign Affairs S. Dhanabalan visited Israel. In return, the Israeli President Chaim Herzog visited Singapore from 18 to 19 November 1986. Herzog's visit triggered angry protests from both the Malaysian and Indonesian governments; Malaysian newspapers even denounced the visit as affirming the image of Singapore as a "second Israel".[9] The Malaysian government threatened to stop Singapore's water supply across the Johor–Singapore Causeway, which the latter had heavily relied on prior to the introduction of NEWater and the construction of desalination plants. Despite the protests and threats, Singapore refused to be intimidated and Israel–Singapore trade relations continued to expand. By 1991, Israel's trade with Singapore totalled US$79 million in exports and US$43 million in imports. According to Jacob Abadi, Singapore sought to project an image of impartiality towards the Arab–Israeli conflict. While maintaining defense and economic relations with Israel, Singapore endorsed UN Resolutions 242 and 338 in order to balance relations with its Muslim neighbors and the Arab world.[10][6]
In February 2017, the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara visited Singapore. He was hosted by the Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. During the visit, Prime Minister Lee spoke in favour of Singapore's long-standing position of a two-state solution to the Israeli–Palestinian conflict. Unlike the 1986 state visit, Netanyahu's presence did not attract much opposition from Malaysia and Indonesia.[11] Netanyahu also met with members of the Singaporean Jewish community and visited Maghain Aboth Synagogue.[12]
In March 2022, Singapore announced that it will establish an embassy in Tel Aviv, 53 years after the two nations first established diplomatic relations. Previously, Singapore was represented by a non–resident ambassador based in Singapore and had an honorary consulate in Tel Aviv.[13] In March 2024, the Minister for Home Affairs K. Shanmugam requested the Israeli embassy to take down a social media post stating that the word "Palestine" was not included in the Quran, stating that it had undermined Singapore's "safety, security and harmony".[14]
Agreements
In 2005, the two countries signed a pact to ease the flow of goods and investments between the two countries during a visit to Israel by Singapore Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong with members of the Israeli Cabinet as well as meeting Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.[15] In February 2017, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu became the first Israeli prime minister to visit Singapore in 30 years.[16]
Singapore does not recognise the
Cooperation
"We were relieved the Israelis were not defeated or our SAF would have lost confidence."
Prime Minister of Singapore Lee Kuan Yew after Israel's victory in the Six-Day War[2]
Business and trade
In 1990, the Singapore–Israel Chamber of Commerce first commenced operations.[20]
In 2013, Singapore–Israel trade totaled S$1.956 billion, a 24.6% jump year-on-year from 2012, according to figures from the Embassy of Israel in Singapore and IE Singapore. Singapore is a net importer from Israel, and Israel exports mostly electrical equipment to Singapore, while Singapore exports mostly machinery and computer equipment to Israel.[21]
In August 2023, Israeli Economy Minister Nir Barkat led a delegation to Singapore aimed at boosting mutual cooperation in the fields of education, medical research, tourism, water scarcity solutions, support for entrepreneurs, and technological innovation. Trade between the two countries totalled $3.8 billion, up 67% compared to the previous year.[22]
Military
In January 1968, before diplomatic relations were established, Singapore made an agreement to purchase 72 surplus AMX-13 tanks from Israel.[2] By the 1980s, Singapore had acquired over 350 of these tanks.
During the formative years of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) in the late 1960s, Singapore sought advice and consultation from experienced militaries to form a credible military post-independence. Israel responded and provided doctrine and training development. Due to sensitivities in a Muslim-dominant region, Singapore kept the co-operation low-profile.[23]
Over the years, Israel has continued to advise Singapore on an array of military topics, ranging from night operations to aviation psychology. The defence and intelligence establishments of both countries conduct routine exchanges of information, and a small number of IDF officers serve in staff appointments within the Singapore Ministry of Defence (MINDEF).[24] In 2012, it was reported that Singapore expressed interest in purchasing several Iron Dome defence system units[25] and a deal took place four years later.
Today, the two countries operate many of the same weapon platforms, including early warning aircraft, anti-tank and anti-aircraft missiles, aircraft and surveillance technologies.
Israeli–Palestinian conflict
Since the 2000s, the
In July 2014, the Singapore Ministry of Foreign Affairs also issued a statement on the recent murder of the three Israeli teenagers in the West Bank. The statement said: "Singapore strongly condemns the killing of the three Israeli teenagers, who were first abducted on 12 June 2014. We convey our deepest condolences to the families of the victims and the people of Israel. Perpetrators of such heinous crimes must be swiftly brought to justice".[27]
In the 2014 Gaza–Israel conflict, Singapore Minister for Foreign Affairs K. Shanmugam said the Palestinian militant organisation Hamas has "deliberately used civilians as [human] shields" and was responsible for rejecting the Egyptian proposal on 15 July 2014 for a ceasefire.[28] In the same speech to the Singapore Parliament, he also said that Hamas had been consistently launching rocket attacks at Israel, numbering over 2,000 missiles at one point, and this was what prompted the start of Israel's operation to destroy these rocket-launching sites, the smuggling tunnels and the munitions stockpiles to prevent attacks on Israel civilians.
During the
See also
References
- ^ "Diplomatic Ties With Israel Established by Singapore". The New York Times. 11 May 1969.
- ^ a b c d A deep, dark, secret love affair, Haaretz Israeli News, 16 Jul 2004, retrieved 29 Jul 2012
- ^ a b Oppenheimer, Shaina (16 March 2020). "'A Life-and-death Matter': How Israel Helped Singapore When It Needed It Most". Haaretz. Retrieved 7 August 2021.
- ^ David Donald (14 February 2012), Israel Shows Wares in Singapore, Aviation International News, retrieved 5 March 2012
- ^ "Official Visit of Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Vivian Balakrishnan to Israel, 21 to 23 March 2022".
- ^ a b Toh Ting Wei (2022-03-21). "S'pore signs agreement with Israel to collaborate in development of artificial intelligence". The Straits Times. Retrieved 2022-03-22.
- ^ "About the Ambassador". embassies.gov.il. Embassy of Israel in Singapore. 25 July 2023. Retrieved 14 October 2023.
- ^ Ng, Wei Kai (19 January 2021). "Singapore appoints two new ambassadors to Vietnam and Israel". The Straits Times. Retrieved 14 October 2023.
- ^ ISBN 9780203876107.
- ^ ISBN 0-7146-8564-X.
- ^ Jaipragas, Bhavan (25 February 2017). "Netanyahu's drama-free Singapore trip: Are Malaysia, Indonesia finally warming to Israel?". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 23 June 2017.
- ^ Roberts, Chana (20 February 2017). "Netanyahu visits Singapore synagogue". Arutz Sheva. Retrieved 23 June 2017.
- ^ staff, T. O. I. "After 53 years of ties with Israel, Singapore to open embassy in Tel Aviv". www.timesofisrael.com.
- ^ "Singapore makes Israeli embassy delete 'insensitive' Palestinian post". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 29 March 2024.
- ^ "newspaper archive, clipping service - newspapers and other news sources". NewsLibrary.com. Retrieved 2018-03-07.
- ^ "Israel Prime Minister Netanyahu describes 'battle for the future of humanity' during Singapore visit". CNBC. 20 February 2017.
- ^ Lee, Elaine (11 July 2023). "Negotiated two-state solution only viable option for Israelis, Palestinians to achieve peace: SM Teo". The Straits Times. Retrieved 16 October 2023.
- ^ "Singapore confirms new AEW purchase". Flight International.
- ^ "Singapore to Replace Hawkeye With G550 AEW". www.defense-update.com. Archived from the original on 2008-09-05. Retrieved 2012-03-04.
- ^ "Singapore-Israel Chamber of Commerce. (begins operations) (Trade)". ICEN. 28 March 1990.
- ^ "Singapore-Israel Trade hits almost S$2 billion in 2013". Israel Global Blogs Network. 17 January 2014.
- ^ Haskel, Adam (2023-08-21). "Israel-Singapore talks focus on boosting trade". JNS.org. Retrieved 2023-08-23.
- ^ Padilla, Lissette (2018-03-07). "Why Do Israel And Singapore Love Each Other?". Seeker. Retrieved 2018-03-07.
- ^ Tim Huxley, Defending the Lion City: The Armed Forces of Singapore
- ^ Alster, Paul (2012-12-02). "Behind the Iron Dome: Key engineer tells how Israeli defense system saved lives". Fox News. Retrieved 2018-03-07.
- ^ Mittelman, Sharyn (2016-06-06). "Israel and Singapore – out of the shadows". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. Retrieved 2018-03-07.
- ^ "Singapore 'strongly condemns' killing of Israeli teenagers: MFA". www.channelnewsasia.com. 1 July 2014. Archived from the original on 2014-09-18. Retrieved 2014-09-23.
- ^ "MFA Press Release: Transcript of Minister for Foreign Affairs K Shanmugam's reply to the Parliamentary Question and Supplementary Questions, 5 Aug 2014". www.mfa.gov.sg. 5 August 2014. Archived from the original on 18 February 2015.
- ^ "Singapore 'strongly condemns' rocket and terror attacks from Gaza on Israel". CNA. 7 October 2023. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
- ^ Daud, Sulaiman (8 October 2023). "PM Lee writes condolence letter to Israel PM Netanyahu, S'pore strongly condemns the attacks & murder, abduction of civilians". mothership.sg. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
- ^ Min, Ang Hwee. "Singapore condemns Hamas' terror attack on Israel, atrocities 'cannot be justified by any rationale': Shanmugam". CNA. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
- ^ Lim, Kolette (16 October 2023). "S'pore Red Cross and Govt pledge $505k for relief efforts amid Israel-Hamas war". The Straits Times. Retrieved 16 October 2023.