PM Lee called on Israel and Palestine to resume negotiations

"We are friends with both Israel and Palestine. We hope that you will be able to resume negotiations and make progress towards a just and durable solution to a longstanding and complex conflict," PM Lee Hsien Loong said in a short speech.

"We hope to see a two-state solution with Israel and Palestine living side-by-side in peace and security one day."

He was speaking at an official ceremony at the Israeli Prime Minister's Office where he was welcomed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Mr Netanyahu,speaking before Mr Lee, said the visit reflected a "coming of age" between the two countries, which he said were "both small nations that leave a very large imprint on the world scene" and anchors of stability in their respective regions.

Mr Netanyahu also said he greatly admired the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew, "one of the great statesmen of the 20th century who laid solid foundations for your country, but who also taught many of us the idea of economic vision and enterprise that was put to test, and is now the great success that Singapore is."

Israel and Singapore are working together in areas from water management to biotechnology, he noted, adding that "innovation and technology are key to seizing the future".

PM Lee is the first Prime Minister from Singapore to visit Israel.

He last visited Israel in 1977 when he was a young army officer accompanying then-chief of general staff Winston Choo, who is now Singapore's Ambassador to Israel.

Source:ST