The Secret Israeli Mission That Built Singapore’s Military from Scratch

Singapore’s independence brought an immediate challenge: how to defend its sovereignty. When it was expelled from the Federation of Malaysia on August 9, 1965, the newly independent city-state had little territory, no natural resource wealth and limited military capabilities.

For Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew and Defense Minister Goh Keng Swee, independence was less a celebration than an urgent security challenge. Amid regional political tensions and uncertainty over relations with neighboring countries, Singapore lacked adequate military protection.

How did a small island with such limited resources develop into a significant military power in Asia? Part of the answer lies in a discreet and politically sensitive chapter of its history: a secret mission by Israeli military officers to help establish its defense capabilities.

A Military With Limited Resources

In late 1965, Singapore’s defense capabilities remained severely limited, according to the account of its early independence recorded by Singapore’s Ministry of Defence.

The country had little in the way of a combat-ready army. It had only two infantry battalions, neither at full strength, and an estimated total of no more than 1,000 active armed personnel nationwide. Its maritime defenses relied on two aging small patrol boats. It had neither fighter aircraft nor an air defense radar system.

Lee tasked Goh with building a military virtually from scratch. Establishing a modern force required substantial funding, experienced instructors, a coherent combat doctrine and considerable time.

Singapore initially approached several friendly countries for military training assistance and defense equipment. Those efforts, however, did not produce the support its leaders sought.

Approaches to Egypt and India Fall Short

Historical records held by the National Archives of Singapore describe requests for defense assistance to countries including Egypt and India, as Singapore sought support from nonaligned countries and countries with Muslim-majority populations.

Singapore hoped they would send military advisers or instructors to train its inexperienced recruits. According to those records, neither Egypt nor India provided the positive response or practical assistance Singapore urgently sought.

With time pressing and security concerns unresolved, Singapore turned toward Israel. Its leaders saw a potential parallel: a small country facing a difficult regional security environment that had nevertheless developed substantial defense capabilities despite its constraints.

For Singapore’s leadership, national survival took precedence over ideological differences and the political sensitivities surrounding cooperation with Israel.

A Covert Mission Led by Rehavam Ze’evi

In October 1965, Israeli Major General Rehavam Ze’evi traveled discreetly to Singapore for private talks with Goh.

The visit was kept out of public view and away from media attention. Singapore’s government recognized the political sensitivity of hosting Israeli military officers in a region where neighboring Muslim-majority countries strongly opposed Israel.

During the closed-door discussions, Ze’evi and a small team of Israeli military advisers assessed Singapore’s defense requirements. They developed a blueprint covering military organization, recruitment and training, command structures, and the development of land, maritime and air combat doctrines.

The advisory relationship extended beyond the initial visit. Israeli military advisers remained and worked discreetly for almost a decade, helping Singapore establish the foundations of its armed forces.

The Brown Book and the Foundations of Singapore’s Military

The cooperation produced a planning document known as the Brown Book. It served as a blueprint for developing the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), guiding the transition from a small, poorly resourced force to a more structured defense institution.

With foreign advisory support and local leadership, Singapore introduced compulsory military service for its citizens. The policy was controversial, but it provided a means of building a trained force despite the country’s limited population and territory.

From its constrained position in 1965, Singapore gradually expanded its military capabilities. Its approach to defense increasingly emphasized preparing national resources to protect the country’s sovereignty.

The covert Israeli mission helped lay some of the republic’s earliest defense foundations. Yet another question remained: how could Singapore keep the cooperation discreet while navigating regional political sensitivities?

INILAH.COM | INDONESIAN POST