Lee Kuan Yew's WARNING for Israel (ft. Iran, US & Singapore-Israel Relations)

BordersLess Asia

2 Oct 202409:52

Summary

TLDRThis script explores the intricate relationship between Singapore and Israel, highlighting Singapore's reliance on Israeli military support after independence in 1965, and its eventual diplomatic ties with Israel. It also delves into Lee Kuan Yew's cautious approach to this relationship, Singapore's consistent support for a two-state solution, and his broader warnings about Middle East conflicts. Lee critiques U.S. foreign policy, Israel’s settlement expansion, and fears of a nuclear arms race in the region, emphasizing the dangers of unresolved tensions between Israelis, Arabs, and Iran, which he believes pose significant risks to global peace.

Takeaways

🌍 In conflicts between Israelis and Arabs, rationality often dissolves, leading to fear and prolonged tensions.
🕊️ Lee Kuan Yew emphasized the need for Israelis to find a peaceful solution to avoid endless wars and potential disaster.
🇸🇬 Singapore established secretive military ties with Israel after its independence in 1965, despite potential backlash from neighboring Muslim-majority countries.
🛡️ Under Israeli guidance, Singapore developed its military, including conscription, modeled after the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF).
💼 Singapore's relationship with Israel extended beyond defense, drawing economic inspiration from Israel's strategies to leapfrog regional boycotts.
🏛️ Despite military assistance, Singapore refrained from officially recognizing Israel until later, balancing religious harmony and international relations.
✌️ Singapore consistently advocates for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, emphasizing the necessity of peace between both sides.
🇺🇳 In 2023, Singapore voted in favor of a UN resolution supporting Palestinian membership, reaffirming its commitment to a two-state solution.
📉 Lee warned that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is becoming harder to resolve, with illegal Israeli settlements and US foreign policy complicating peace efforts.
⚠️ Lee expressed concerns about Iran's nuclear ambitions and viewed a nuclear arms race in the Middle East as a major global threat.

Q & A

What was Singapore's relationship with Israel shortly after gaining independence?
-Singapore's relationship with Israel began shortly after gaining independence in 1965. After being rejected by India and Egypt, Singapore turned to Israel for military assistance, despite concerns about provoking hostility from neighboring Muslim-majority countries.
How did Israeli military advisors contribute to the development of Singapore's armed forces?
-Israeli military advisors, referred to as 'Mexicans' to mask their identity, arrived in Singapore in 1965 and provided crucial military training. They helped Singapore develop a conscription system modeled after the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), rapidly strengthening the nation's defense capabilities.
Why did Singapore initially resist establishing formal diplomatic ties with Israel?
-Singapore resisted establishing formal diplomatic ties with Israel because Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew did not want to alienate the Muslim populations in Singapore and neighboring Malaysia. He was cautious about maintaining religious and political harmony.
When did Singapore establish an Israeli embassy, and why?
-Singapore established an Israeli embassy in 1969, following Israel's decisive victory in the Six-Day War in 1967. This victory reassured Singapore's leadership about the effectiveness of its military system, prompting confidence in further strengthening ties with Israel.
How did Israel's development strategies influence Singapore's economic policies?
-Singapore was inspired by Israel's strategy of leaping ahead economically, despite being boycotted by neighboring countries. Israel focused on exporting goods like fruits and flowers to Europe and America. Singapore adopted a similar strategy, forging economic ties with industrialized nations to attract investments from Europe, Japan, and the US.
What is Singapore's stance on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict?
-Singapore has consistently supported a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, advocating for peaceful coexistence between Israel and Palestine. Despite its close ties with Israel, Singapore has voted in favor of UN resolutions supporting Palestinian membership.
How did Lee Kuan Yew view the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in his later years?
-In his final book, published in 2013, Lee Kuan Yew identified the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as the region's most pressing issue, warning that its resolution was essential for broader peace in the Middle East. He expressed concern that the likelihood of a permanent solution was diminishing.
What role did Lee Kuan Yew believe the US played in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict?
-Lee Kuan Yew believed the US was the only power capable of pressuring Israel to pursue peace, especially by leveraging its military and financial aid. He criticized US foreign policy for failing to take a more neutral stance, which he argued was necessary to resolve the conflict.
What concerns did Lee Kuan Yew have about Iran's role in the Middle East?
-Lee Kuan Yew viewed Iran as a significant obstacle to peace in the Middle East. He believed that Iran's ambitions to dominate the region were driven by both the Sunni-Shiite divide and a deep-seated pride in its Persian Imperial past. He was skeptical of Iran's claims that it did not want to develop nuclear weapons.
What did Lee Kuan Yew predict about the future of nuclear weapons in the Middle East?
-Lee Kuan Yew predicted that if Iran continued its nuclear development, a nuclear arms race could be triggered in the Middle East. He warned of a serious miscalculation that could lead to the first use of nuclear weapons since World War II, describing the region as the highest risk area for such a scenario.

Outlines

00:00

🌍 Singapore's Strategic Military Ties with Israel

This paragraph explores Singapore's secretive military relationship with Israel, initiated after gaining independence in 1965. Singapore's founding Prime Minister, Lee Kuan Yew, initially sought military support from India and Egypt but was rejected. He turned to Israel for help, despite concerns about Muslim-majority neighbors. Under the guidance of Israeli advisors, Singapore rapidly developed its armed forces, adopting a conscription system similar to Israel's. Although Israel pressured Singapore to officially recognize it in exchange for military assistance, Lee resisted until after the Six-Day War in 1967. Despite their strong partnership, Singapore has consistently advocated for a two-state solution in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

05:01

🔎 The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: Lee Kuan Yew's Perspective

In this section, Lee Kuan Yew's views on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict are discussed. He saw the conflict as the most pressing issue in the Middle East, warning that the longer it persists, the less likely a peaceful solution becomes. Lee criticized U.S. foreign policy, asserting that only America has the power to pressure Israel to pursue a peace deal. He pointed to the U.S.'s large financial and military aid to Israel as a barrier to peace. Lee also expressed concerns over Israel's settlement expansion and argued that America's support for Israel fuels anti-American sentiment worldwide, contributing to terrorism.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Israeli-Palestinian conflict

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict refers to the long-standing political and territorial dispute between Israelis and Palestinians. In the video, this conflict is described as the most pressing issue in the Middle East, and its resolution is considered essential for broader peace. Lee Kuan Yew, the focus of the video, argues that the conflict undermines international relations and is fueled by illegal Israeli settlements and the powerful pro-Israel lobby in the US.

💡Two-state solution

A two-state solution refers to the idea of establishing two separate states—one for Israelis and one for Palestinians—as a resolution to their conflict. Singapore has consistently supported this solution, and it is seen as the only viable way for both sides to live in peace. The video emphasizes that without this approach, peace in the region is unlikely.

💡Lee Kuan Yew

Lee Kuan Yew was the founding Prime Minister of Singapore, and his views on foreign policy, particularly regarding Israel and the Middle East, are central to the video. Lee is portrayed as a pragmatic leader who valued religious harmony and maintained a cautious relationship with Israel, advocating for peaceful solutions to conflicts in the region while criticizing both Israel and U.S. foreign policy.

💡Israel-Singapore relations

Israel-Singapore relations began shortly after Singapore gained independence in 1965. The video highlights how Israel helped build Singapore’s armed forces and military capabilities, despite Singapore initially hesitating due to fears of alienating neighboring Muslim-majority countries. This partnership grew stronger over the years, encompassing military, technology, and economic ties.

💡Six-Day War

The Six-Day War was a brief but decisive conflict in 1967 in which Israel defeated neighboring Arab countries and significantly expanded its territory. The war reassured Singapore of Israel’s military strength, and soon after, Singapore made significant military purchases from Israel. This victory played a role in solidifying the Israeli-Singapore military partnership.

💡Pro-Israel lobby in the US

The pro-Israel lobby in the US refers to political groups and individuals who advocate for strong American support of Israel. Lee Kuan Yew criticizes this lobby in the video, arguing that its influence has enabled hardline positions in Israeli leadership and hindered progress toward a peaceful resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

💡Iran nuclear ambitions

Iran's nuclear ambitions are discussed in the context of regional security and the potential for conflict. Lee Kuan Yew expresses skepticism about Iran’s claims that it does not want nuclear weapons. He warns that Iran's desire for regional dominance and a nuclear weapon could lead to a dangerous nuclear arms race in the Middle East, further destabilizing the region.

💡Religious harmony in Singapore

Religious harmony in Singapore is a core value emphasized by Lee Kuan Yew and Singapore’s leadership. The video mentions that Singapore avoided taking sides in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to maintain this harmony, especially given the country’s significant Muslim population. Even as Singapore partnered with Israel, it remained committed to policies that avoided alienating its Muslim citizens and neighbors.

💡Oslo Accords

The Oslo Accords were a set of agreements between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) aimed at achieving peace through a two-state solution. Lee Kuan Yew only visited Israel after the signing of these accords, reflecting his cautious approach to the conflict and his support for peaceful negotiations.

💡US foreign policy in the Middle East

US foreign policy in the Middle East, especially its support for Israel, is criticized by Lee Kuan Yew in the video. He argues that the US’s unbalanced stance has worsened tensions in the region and fueled anti-American sentiment, which has been exploited by extremist groups to recruit members and spread terrorism. Lee suggests that a more neutral US approach could lead to peace and improve America's global standing.

Highlights

In conflicts between Israelis, Arabs, and Muslims, rationality often dissolves and fear dominates.

The next generation of Israelis needs to find a way to peace to avoid endless wars or escalating tensions.

Singapore established a secretive partnership with Israel shortly after its independence in 1965, seeking military assistance after being rejected by India and Egypt.

Israeli advisors, referred to as 'Mexicans' to disguise their true identity, arrived in Singapore in 1965 to help build its armed forces.

Under Israeli guidance, Singapore adopted a conscription system modeled after the IDF (Israel Defense Forces).

Despite pressure from Israel, Singapore initially resisted recognizing Israel as a sovereign state to avoid alienating neighboring Muslim-majority countries.

Following Israel's victory in the Six-Day War, Singapore felt confident in its military capability and made substantial arms purchases, including 72 tanks from Israel.

Singapore officially established an Israeli embassy in 1969, further solidifying its military ties with Israel.

Lee Kuan Yew drew inspiration from Israel’s economic strategies, using them as a model to establish ties with developed countries and boost Singapore's economy.

Singapore has consistently advocated for a two-state solution to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, maintaining a balanced stance.

In 1994, Lee Kuan Yew visited Israel for the first and only time after the signing of the Oslo Peace Accords.

Recent social media posts by the Israeli Embassy in Singapore caused a backlash, reaffirming Singapore’s commitment to religious harmony and its stance on the two-state solution.

Lee Kuan Yew criticized U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East, arguing that only America has the power to pressure Israel into resolving the conflict.

Lee expressed concerns that Iran, driven by ambitions for regional dominance, is a significant obstacle to Middle East peace.

Lee predicted that unresolved tensions between Israel and Iran could lead to a nuclear arms race in the Middle East, increasing the risk of nuclear conflict.