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How Israel Helped Singapore Establish Its Defense Forces
(Channel News Asia-Singapore) Aqil Haziq Mahmud - A new book, Beating the Odds Together, describes how Israeli military advisors helped Singapore establish the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) after other countries such as India and Egypt declined its calls for help. "Today, we can be open in telling the story of the extraordinary contribution by our Israeli friends to our security when few thought that Singapore could survive on its own," wrote Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong in the Foreword. Singapore separated from Malaysia in 1965 amid a communist insurgency and armed confrontations in the region, prompting Singapore to make defense capability an existential priority. "It has always been our fervent hope that Singapore can be a benefit to Israel to whom we owe a deep, eternal debt of gratitude," said former Foreign Affairs Minister George Yeo.