Small states fear chaos as Israel’s security-first realism outperforms naive faith in global guarantees.
As shockwaves from the dramatic US removal of Venezuelan strongman Nicolás Maduro ripple across the globe, even distant Singapore is voicing deep anxiety—highlighting a truth Israel has long understood: survival belongs to nations that defend themselves, not those trusting abstract international promises.
Singapore’s former prime minister Lee Hsien Loong warned that if powerful countries can simply remove leaders and economically strangle states at will, then small nations face an existential threat. Speaking at a forum hosted by the ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute, Lee bluntly stated that such a world leaves small states exposed to the “law of the jungle.”
That reality has long been familiar to Israel, a nation that never relied on international law, UN resolutions, or global goodwill to ensure its survival. While Singapore fears the erosion of the post-World War II order once underwritten by the United States, Israel has thrived precisely because it prepared for a world where power, deterrence, and alliances matter more than rhetoric.
Lee echoed lessons first articulated by his father Lee Kuan Yew: keep the economy strong, invest heavily in defense, and partner with centers of prosperity. Israel has followed this formula relentlessly—building a formidable military, world-leading innovation economy, and strategic alliances—while many Arab and Islamist regimes squandered wealth on ideology, corruption, and hostility toward Israel.
Notably, Lee admitted that principles rarely override national interest, citing Singapore’s sanctions on Vladimir Putin while continuing business ties. Israel has long mastered this balance—defending moral red lines without sacrificing national strength.
As global uncertainty deepens amid power struggles involving Donald Trump, Xi Jinping, and authoritarian regimes worldwide, Singapore’s anxiety only reinforces Israel’s core doctrine: sovereignty is defended, not granted—and those who ignore this lesson do so at their peril.
