'A Life-and-death Matter': How Israel Helped Singapore When It Needed It Most.
● Tel Avil, The Israeli Declaration of Independence, formally the Declaration of the Establishment of the State of Israel, was proclaimed on 14th May 1948 by David Ben-Gurion, the Executive Head of the World Zionist Organization, Chairman of the Jewish Agency for Palestine, and later first Prime Minister of Israel.
( 17 years later )
■On 9th August 1965, Singapore separated from Malaysia to become an independent and sovereign state. The written history of Singapore dates back to the third century. Evidence suggest a significant trading settlement existed in Singapore during the 14th century. In the late 14th century, Singapura was under the rule of Parameswara until he was expelled by the Majapahit or the Siamese.
It then came under the Malacca Sultanate and then the Johor Sultanate. Modern Singapore was founded in 1819, when Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles negotiated a treaty whereby Johor allowed the British to found a trading port on the island. During World War II, Singapore was conquered and occupied by the Japanese Empire from 1942 to 1945. When the war ended, Singapore reverted to British control, with increasing levels of self-government being granted, culminating in Singapore's merger with the Federation of Malaya to form Malaysia in 1963. But social unrest and disputes between Singapore's ruling People's Action Party and Malaysia's Alliance Party resulted in Singapore's expulsion from Malaysia. Singapore became an independent republic on August 9, 1965.
Singapore and Israel share 'a certain kindred spirit,' both small nations having to survive under difficult odds and surrounded by Muslim-majority countries. Israel is surrounded by Egypt, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon . Singapore is surrounded by Malaysia and Indonesia.
" THE BROWN BOOK "
In the chaos of the historic Six-Day war between Israel and its Arab neighbours in 1967, a battle that would reshape the entire Middle East, unexpected spectators stood miles away in the island nation of Singapore. Amidst the clashing forces and the whirlwind of conflict, Singapore's leaders were not just passive observers; they were invested in a particular outcome.
They were silently rooting for Israel to emerge victorious. But what could this seemingly distant war possibly have to do with a tiny South East Asian nation like Singapore? Join us as we uncover this mystery and its lasting impact on a nation striving to find its place on the world stage after gaining independence.
Let's first step back to 9th August, 1965, when Singapore was expelled from Malaysia. At that time, the odds seemed stacked against this young nation that gained independence against its will.
The divorce from Malaysia was abrupt and unwanted, leaving Singapore without its essential economic support.
To add to the predicament, the remnants of a recent communist insurgency still lingered in the air. Amid this chaos, President Soekarno's Indonesia was locking horns in a fierce military confrontation, also known as the Konfrontasi, branding Malaysia as a "neo-colonialist" construct. In the crosshairs of this conflict, Singapore found itself in the thick of it. To make matters more pressing, the Vietnam War was gaining momentum, casting an ominous shadow over the region. These early days of independence for Singapore were far from ideal.
It was a precarious state of affairs that left Singapore's government with no choice but to swiftly establish a credible and independent defence capability.
From day one, this became an existential priority. However, Singapore's defence setup post-independence was far from impressive.
Its military comprised of just two under-strength infantry battalions, with more than half of their soldiers made up of Malaysians who were given the option to either stay in Singapore or return home in Peninsula Malaysia. Unsurprisingly, most Malaysians chose to leave. Left with only a handful of Singaporean ancillary units after most of the Malaysians departed, the city-state's military force was as minuscule as it could be. The military's arsenal was modest at best - a dilapidated wooden gunboat - and not even a single aircraft to call their own.
It was clear that Singapore had a long and arduous journey ahead in building up a robust defence force from practically nothing. But that's not all!
While the British maintained a significant military presence in Singapore and Malaysia, winds of change were stirring in London. Pressure was mounting on the British to scale back their military presence in the region and they were eying an exit strategy.
Singapore had to come to terms with the possibility that the British might withdraw their military support at some point.
This realization added yet another layer of urgency to Singapore's need for self-reliance.
In the midst of this tumult, Singapore's founding father, Lee Kuan Yew, didn't mince words.
He famously used the analogy of Singapore having to be a "poisonous shrimp" in a world where big fish devoured the small, and the small preyed on the shrimp, alluding to the country's need to be a strong deterrent force in a world dominated by larger powers. Bold words, perhaps, but this notion set the tone for a defence strategy focused on deterrence that would shape Singapore's future. The urgency to strengthen Singapore's defence was undeniable, and so, Goh Keng Swee, serving as the Finance Minister, bravely stepped forward to face the challenge at hand. However, his familiarity with military affairs was limited to his time as a corporal in the Singapore Volunteer Corps during the British rule before the Japanese invasion in 1942.
Motivated by the imperative to strengthen Singapore's defence, Goh Keng Swee swiftly organized a small team to establish the new Ministry of Interior and Defense, which was later split into the Ministry of Défense and the Ministry of Home Affairs of today.
9th December, 2019 :
Unveiling the cover of the book, Beating the Odds Together: 50 Years of Singapore-Israel Ties, are (from left) Mr Sagi Karni, ambassador of Israel to Singapore; Mr George Yeo, Singapore's former foreign affairs minister;
Mr Bilahari Kausikan, former permanent secretary of foreign affairs; and Ms Michelle Teo, acting director of the Middle East Institute.
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