Posted on 02/19/2017 8:06:28 AM PST by SJackson
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was set to visit Singapore this weekend, marking an Israeli head of state's first official visit to the city-state since the mid-1980s.
Singapore's ties with Israel run long and deep.
Shortly after Singapore was declared independent of Malaysia in the mid-1960s, it sought Israel's assistance in establishing its military, after being turned away by several other countries, including its one-time colonial master, the U.K.
To keep the presence of Israeli soldiers in the city-state a secret, Singapore called them Mexicans.
There's also a long history of business ties, not just in the defense industries, but across the technology, solar and water segments.
Recently, Israeli officials have also traveled to Singapore to study the city-state's public housing system for ideas on how to help ease its own housing shortage. Ironically, in the 1960s, Singapore set up its own system after studying Israel's.
(Excerpt) Read more at cnbc.com ...
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Not that big a deal I suppose, but I found the anecdote of Israeli soldiers posing as Mexicans entertaining. Mexicans, middle easterners, they all look alike.
Hon Kong and Singapore are excellent examples of how unrestricted capitalism creates the real wealth that makes social justice possible.
Your parenthetical addition to the headline is misleading. The Israelis did NOT pose as Mexicans the officials in Singapore referred to them as Mexicans. That is a huge difference and done for different reasons
Singapore could also be perceived as a testament that once you get out of Islamic stranglehold (aka Malaysia), you prosper. Being right in the middle of the shipping routes does not hurt either.
Beautiful country but definitely authoritarian. A person cannot own realestate and can only lease property from the government. Also cars are heavily taxed and unaffordable to most.
I knew some Afghans who found themselves stuck in Juarez for a few days. They said Mexicans were surprised when they couldn’t speak Spanish.
I’ll never understand a world where Jews are so hated that they get elevated status by pretending they are Mexicans. In any sane mind that would make them less admirable.
Oy Caramba!!
Not certain what you're saying. If you're suggesting they just referred to them that way in conversation, it wasn't a secret, perhaps you're right. I've never heard of the incident before this .
However the article states To keep the presence of Israeli soldiers in the city-state a secret, Singapore called them Mexicans. To me this means they meant to keep their presence secret, by referring to them as Mexicans.
They are, Hong Kong for a few more decades at least.
An interesting aside, during Katrina Israeli aid was turned down, despite their acknowledge expertise at immediate disaster management, particularly medical, including emergency suites available immediately. The reason, we didn’t want identifiable Israeli government assets involved. Mexican naval assets, including troops in uniform, were welcome. Israeli aid came in some days later when it could be relabeled as coming from private charities. Guess GWB never thought of disguising the Israelis as Mexicans.
Saying that Israei security personnel POSED as Mexicans implies that the Israelis instigated a rouse. That is patently false.
“Singapore called them Mexicans.” The fact that security personnel did nothing to change the narrative just says they ignored it
Big difference.
Moreover the original title does not say that at all
IMHO history will show that the election of Menachem Begin’s Likud coalition was a watershed event for Israel. Begin began the dismantling of Israel’s socialist core which had been the well meaning but economically futile ideology of its founders. Since then Israel has evolved as an economic powerhouse which has probably done more to secure its future than any other single factor or alliance. Unrestricted capitalism works and correlates better with the degree of social justice in any culture
I’ve been mistaken for hispanic once or twice. Blondes may have more fun, but brunettes are harder to tell apart.
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