As Western countries grow more hostile, Israel is exploring new avenues for defense cooperation.
By Hezy Laing
Israel’s strategic landscape is shifting, and the idea of a pivot toward Asia has moved from the margins of policy debate to the center of national security thinking.
As Western countries grow more critical of Israeli policy and increasingly consider restrictions on arms sales or diplomatic support, Jerusalem is exploring new avenues for defense cooperation.
Israel’s Potential Defense Partnerships in Asia include Singapore, which has long‑standing covert defense cooperation with Israel; Japan, whose security posture has become more assertive; the Philippines, which is seeking advanced defense technology; Vietnam, wary of China and open to Israeli systems; Taiwan, highly sensitive but strategically aligned; and Indonesia, where unofficial ties exist and normalization would be historic.
The logic behind this pivot is straightforward: If Western states become more hostile or impose restrictions, Israel may diversify its alliances.
Asia is attractive for several reasons. Japan, Vietnam, the Philippines, and Taiwan all face strategic pressure from Beijing, creating shared concerns about China’s rise.
Asian militaries are eager for missile defense, cyber capabilities, drones, and intelligence systems—areas where Israel excels.
Many Asian states approach foreign policy pragmatically, without the moral‑political framing common in Europe.
And Singapore and Vietnam already have decades of discreet cooperation with Israel.
Still, experts warn that this pivot must be approached with realism rather than romanticism.
Shai Feldman, one of Israel’s most respected security analysts, argues that “diversification is wise, but replacement is impossible.”
For Feldman, Asian partnerships can strengthen Israel’s diplomatic and military flexibility, but they cannot substitute for the strategic depth provided by the United States and Europe.
He stresses that no Asian state can offer the combination of advanced weapons platforms, intelligence integration, and diplomatic shielding that Washington provides.
Feldman also cautions that Asian states will not jeopardize their relations with China for Israel, meaning cooperation will always have limits.
James Shapiro, a scholar of Israeli foreign policy, adds that Asian states tend to view Israel through a transactional lens.
“These are interest‑based relationships,” he notes, “not alliances grounded in shared values.”
That makes them potentially fragile.
Meanwhile, Efraim Inbar, president of the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security, argues that Israel must avoid becoming entangled in U.S.–China rivalry.
A deep pivot toward Taiwan or Japan could provoke Beijing and complicate Israel’s economic interests.
The emerging consensus is that Asia offers opportunity but not salvation.
Israel can and should expand its partnerships in the East, but the West remains indispensable.
