sentences:  This is in part due to both countries' perceptions of themselves as regional economic powerhouses surrounded by much larger Islamic countries with which they have an uneasy relationship.Following Singapore's sudden and unexpected independence after being unilaterally ejected from Malaysia In 1963, Singapore appealed to the international community for technical assistance and military aid.Israel sent over a mission to jumpstart Singapore's economy and create, from scratch, Singapore's armed forces and its Ministry of Defence (MINDEF), the former modeled after the IDF in both doctrine and order of battle.