Relationship dossier
Israel
Singapore
Relationship assessment
Substantive defense and trade cooperation alongside differing views on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
Israel toward Singapore
+45Israel provided military assistance to Singapore during its early years, contributing to Singapore’s defense capabilities. The two governments have also developed economic ties through a bilateral free trade agreement.
Singapore toward Israel
+40Singapore has maintained official relations and economic cooperation with Israel, including through a bilateral free trade agreement. Singapore has also supported a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, a position that can differ from Israeli government policy.
Overall relationship
+45The relationship combines durable defense and economic cooperation with differences over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Israel’s early military assistance to Singapore and the bilateral free trade agreement are substantial features of the relationship, while Singapore’s support for a two-state solution reflects an area of policy divergence.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
Israel and Singapore have maintained substantive cooperation, particularly in defense and trade. Israel provided military assistance during Singapore’s early years, and the countries’ free trade agreement has supported economic ties. Singapore has also maintained official relations with Israel while expressing support for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Areas of tension
- Singapore’s support for a two-state solution differs from Israeli government positions on some aspects of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Key developments
Israel provided military assistance to Singapore during the country’s early years.
The bilateral free trade agreement between Israel and Singapore entered into force.
Major uncertainties
- The current scope of defense cooperation is not clear.
- The scale and implementation of trade and investment cooperation are uncertain.