Defense Minister Gantz held covert security meetings in Singapore

Protection Minister Benny Gantz performed a secret five-day journey to Singapore final week, which included security-related conferences.

Gantz’s vacation spot remains to be ostensibly below a gag order, however a number of media retailers together with Yedioth Ahronoth and Haaretz revealed the matter over the weekend.

Gantz’s workplace had initially stated Sunday that the placement could be okayed for publication after his return on Thursday. However then Thursday, the Protection Ministry stated the matter had been barred for publication indefinitely.

It was not clear why Gantz’s vacation spot had been positioned below gag order, as Israel and Singapore have lengthy loved open relations. And former prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu met together with his counterpart within the small Asian nation in 2017.

Then-prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong shake fingers throughout a gathering on the Prime Minister’s Workplace in Jerusalem, on April 19, 2016. (Haim Zach/GPO)

Sources concerned within the matter instructed The Occasions of Israel’s sister website Zman Yisrael that it was Singapore that had requested to maintain the assembly below wraps, with Israel apparently complying with the request.

There was no data on the assembly in Singaporean media.

Nonetheless, even after Yedioth Ahronoth and Haaretz circumvented the censorship order on Friday, the Israel Protection Forces army censor nonetheless continued to bar different media retailers from publishing the small print.

Rafael Superior Protection Techniques’ surface-to-air missile system is on show in Singapore, on Friday, February 14, 2014. (AP Picture/Joseph Nair)

The 2 nations established diplomatic relations in 1969, however have ties courting again to 1965, when Israeli army advisers covertly assisted Singapore after its declaration of independence.

ADVERTISEMENT

Singapore is Israel’s second-largest export vacation spot in Asia after India, which is alleged to additionally embody arms, contemplating a good portion of Israel’s exports is defense-related.

The Singapore Air Power’s 116th squadron makes use of Hermes 450 drones, manufactured by the Israeli Elbit Techniques protection contractor.

Israeli arms large Rafael Superior Protection Techniques has additionally beforehand attended the Singapore Airshow, the place it as soon as unveiled a brand new laser protection system.

Businesses contributed to this report.

Study Hebrew in a enjoyable, distinctive means

You get Israel information… however do you GET it? This is your likelihood to know not solely the large image that we cowl on these pages, but additionally the important, juicy particulars of life in Israel.

In Streetwise Hebrew for the Occasions of Israel Group, every month we’ll be taught a number of colloquial Hebrew phrases round a standard theme. These are bite-size audio Hebrew courses that we expect you may actually get pleasure from.

Study extra

Study extra

Already a member? Sign up to cease seeing this

You’re critical. We recognize that!

Be part of Our Group

Be part of Our Group

Already a member? Sign up to cease seeing this