Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (third from left) visits the Maghain Aboth synagogue in Singapore. Photo: Haim Zach/GPO.

JNS.org – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Monday during an official visit to Singapore that his country will be giving new focus to its relations with Asia.

“Israel is pivoting toward Asia in a very clear and purposeful way,” Netanyahu told his Singaporean counterpart, Lee Hsien Loong, at a state dinner. “Next month I’ll go to China; somewhat later this year Prime Minister [Narendra] Modi of India will come to visit Israel. Perfectly poised between China and India is Singapore — and I’m not [saying this] merely in the geographic sense. I’m saying that as a gateway to Asia, Singapore is a perfect partner.”

Lee praised Israel’s assistance in building Singapore’s armed forces, and said his country believes a two-state solution is the only way to achieve peace between Israel and the Palestinians.

Netanyahu’s trip was the first-ever visit to Singapore by an Israeli prime minister, in a notable warming of relations between the countries.