By Eric Vandenbroeck and co-workers

Israel From A Singaporean Perspective

Had the diplomat resorted to some form of hedging, given the fact that relations with Russia matter to Singapore far more than Singapore’s relations with Ukraine, I wouldn’t have been surprised. But instead, the diplomat replied (and I’m paraphrasing), “We’re entirely behind Ukraine in this war. We’re a small country, and we depend on the rules-based order. It doesn’t matter how we feel about Ukraine or Russia, frankly—if we want to uphold the rules-based order in one place, we’ve got to do it everywhere.”

It was a brave position, which mirrored his prime minister’s stance, and it was one I hadn’t necessarily counted on.

I’ve considered that perspective over the past few months because it is one that I find quite convincing. Singapore’s nonaligned and principled position is different than that of other nonaligned states, such as India or South Africa. But there’s an overriding view here: As full of holes as it is, the rules-based order is the best model we’ve come up with, civilizationally, to reduce widespread war and conflict.

But already in February 2022, it was awkward, to say the least, to advocate for it in much of the so-called global south—especially within the wider Arab world and the Middle East. I remember meeting during that same spring with a senior European diplomat who was genuinely shocked that much of the Arab world seemed immune to arguments from the West that Arabs ought to support Ukraine against a violent invasion and occupation.

I had to remind him: When Arabs hear “invasion” and “occupation,” the words “Iraq” and “Palestine” spring to mind.

That was in 2022. Two years on, it’s not simply more difficult to argue for a rules-based order in the global south—it’s almost impossible. When Russia invaded Ukraine, the world saw a non-Western power violating the rules-based order that the West claims to uphold as universally important.

As Israel continues its bombardment of Gaza—killing large numbers of civilians using U.S.-supplied weapons; restricting humanitarian aid even amid famine-like conditions; and standing in the dock at the International Court of Justice facing allegations that are so serious, 15 out of 17 judges found it plausible that the Palestinians’ right to to not be subjected to genocide could be threatened—the rest of the world perceives a violation of the rules-based order that is arguably much worse than Russia’s violations.

That’s because Israel is part of the Western bloc and is also defended by the most powerful elements of the Western bloc—in particular, the country that most frequently claims to be the defender of the world’s rules-based order: the United States.

Singaporeans’ views on the Israel-Hamas current war in Gaza’ are relevant, just as they are with Ukraine. After all, it’s a country that has long-standing ties to Israel—especially its security sector. Indeed, Singapore built up its defense capacity with help from Israel, starting very soon after Singapore gained independence. Trade between the two countries reportedly crossed exceeded $1 billion in 2022, and Singapore upgraded its diplomatic presence soon thereafter, by establishing a full ambassadorship and embassy in Tel Aviv that year.

 

A Turn of Events?

By the end of March Singaporean Vivian Balakrishnan said, “We need to tell our Israeli friends when we have a divergence.” The Minister for Foreign Affairs made his remarks during a 10-day visit to the Middle East. 

Balakrishnan described his discussions with Israel’s leadership as “candid, frank, sometimes even brutal.” He told Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that from Singapore’s perspective, the military response in Gaza had “gone too far.”

Singapore’s foreign minister also offered words of support. He condemned the October 7 attack by Hamas as a “flagrant, heinous act of terror” and called for the immediate release of hostages.

Treading the middle ground on the Israel-Palestine conflict is familiar territory for the island nation. Singapore’s friendship with Israel, dating back to the mid-1960s, has long been a bone of contention with Malaysia and Indonesia. Singapore’s Muslim-majority neighbors have kept Israel at arm’s length and do not maintain a diplomatic presence in Tel Aviv.

The “special relationship” with Israel started as a defense partnership. In 1965, newly independent Singapore had only two infantry battalions and no air force. Founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew reached out to Israel, another small nation forced to build a military from scratch. The Singapore army is based on the Israeli model of a conscription-based military that can mobilize citizens at short notice. 

“As a newly-independent state with limited resources other than our people and sheer grit to rely on, Singapore needed Israel’s help to build up our armed forces,” wrote Winston Choo, a former army chief who later served as non-resident ambassador to Israel. 

Singapore did not initially acknowledge the military collaboration as the Israel-Palestine conflict was a sensitive topic for Southeast Asian Muslims. Details of Israel’s covert involvement surfaced three decades later when Lee Kuan Yew published his 1998 memoir, “The Singapore Story.”  

Over the last decade, trade between the two countries has flourished and reportedly crossed $1 billion in 2022. Singapore reached another milestone that year by upgrading its diplomatic presence in Tel Aviv from an honorary consulate to an embassy with a resident ambassador.

When Ian Mak presented his credentials to President Isaac Herzog on December 19, an Israeli diplomat described the occasion as “history in the making.” But the ambassador’s handshake with Israel’s president as the military operation was underway in Gaza, created an awkward photo op for Singapore.  

In a parliamentary debate, Singapore’s foreign minister called the timing of the diplomatic appointment “fortuitous or ‘unfortuitous,’ depending on your point of view.” But he urged legislators to refocus their attention on the domestic front because “foreign policy begins at home.” Balakrishnan warned that polarization along religious lines posed an existential threat to Singapore’s multicultural society “in the heart of Southeast Asia.”

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has also adopted a more neutral stance on the Middle East after the October 7 attack. Speaking at a People’s Action Party convention last November, he reminded the audience that the Israel-Palestine conflict is “not our quarrel.” 

Singapore’s leadership is increasingly leaning into the phrase “friend to all and an enemy to none.”

 

 

For updates click hompage here