新加坡总理李显龙在耶路撒冷希伯来大学的演讲
I am deeply honoured to receive this honorary doctorate from Hebrew University today. It is not just my personal honour, but reflects the longstanding friendship between Israel and Singapore, and between our two peoples.
今天获得希伯来大学颁发名誉博士学位，我深感荣幸。这并非我个人的荣誉，而是反映了以色列和新加坡两国人民之间长远的友谊。
The earliest Jewish people migrated to Singapore in the 19th century, mostly from Iraq, the Middle East. One famous visit is intimately linked to the establishment of Hebrew University, and it was the visit which was alluded to earlier, by Professor Albert Einstein in 1922, who met Singapore Jewish community and urged them to contribute to the Hebrew University's establishment. I thought I had done some research, but I came just now, I was given a comprehensive presentation on Professor Einstein's visit to Singapore. But maybe I've found a few facts which you may not have highlighted just now. First of all, the Singapore Jews raised 750 pounds towards the Hebrew University. Translated to today's currency, it is US$300,000, not a bad sum. And the other significant fact is that a week after his visit to Singapore, Professor Einstein got a call from Stockholm, and was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics. So we have many happy memories.
最早移居到新加坡的犹太人始于19世纪，大多来自中东的伊拉克。其中一名访客同希伯来大学有亲密的渊源，他就是在1922年抵岸的阿尔伯特·爱因斯坦（Albert Einstein）教授。他同新加坡的犹太社群会晤，并敦促他们支持建设希伯来大学。我以为自己已经对此有所了解，但贵校还是为我做了关于爱因斯坦教授访问新加坡的全面介绍。但是或许我所寻获的一些资料，是刚才的介绍所没有提及的。首先，新加坡犹太人一共为希伯来大学筹集了750英镑的捐款。换算成今天的币值，那相当于30万美元，是一笔不小的款项。另一个有意思的细节是，在他访问新加坡的一周后，爱因斯坦教授接获了斯德哥尔摩的通知，告诉他获得了诺贝尔物理学奖。所以我们有着不少美好的共同记忆。
Today, Singapore is home to a small Jewish community, numbering a few hundred, which has contributed to our society out of proportion to its numbers. For example, our first Chief Minister, Mr. David Saul Marshall, was a Baghdadi Jew. In recent decades, many more Jewish expatriates, including Israelis, have come to live and work with Singapore, many of them with tech companies. And there are now maybe 2,500 Jewish people in Singapore, enough to sustain one successful kosher restaurant.
今天，新加坡是一个小犹太社群的家乡，大约数百人，但为我们的社会做出了超出其规模的贡献。比如，我们的第一任首席部长大卫·绍乌·马绍尔（David Saul Marshall）先生，是位巴格达犹太人（Baghdadi Jew）。近数十年来，更多的犹太移民，包括以色列人，来到新加坡工作和生活，当中有不少从事科技行业。目前大约有2500名犹太人在新加坡，足够撑起一家犹太人洁食（kosher）餐馆的生意。
In August 1965, when Singapore unexpectedly became independent, the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) helped us to develop the Singapore Armed Forces. We asked a number of countries. We were starting from zero base; we needed to build up an armed forces urgently from scratch. But only Israel responded to us, and it did so very promptly. Weeks after independence, our Defence Minister Dr. Goh Keng Swee flew to Bangkok to meet the Israeli Ambassador there, Mordecai Kidron. He reported back to his headquarters and within a few months – by the end of the year, a team of IDF advisors had come to Singapore. We called them "Mexicans" for operational security, and also because we hoped that their swarthy looks might make the cover plausible. Within less than two years, by July 1967, guided by the IDF team, the SAF commissioned our first batch of officers from the officer cadet course. And this was a decisive step in building up a credible and professional defence force for Singapore.
当新加坡在1965年8月始料不及地成为独立国家时，以色列国防军协助我们发展新加坡武装部队。我们向其他个别国家提出过请求。我们从零开始，需要紧急地建设国防力量。但是只有以色列对我们的请求做出回应，而且反应迅速。在独立后的几周，我们的国防部长吴庆瑞博士飞到曼谷，会见了驻扎当地的以色列大使莫迪凯·基德龙（Mordecai Kidron）。他向其总部发了报告，而几个月内——就在当年底——一支以色列国防军的顾问团就抵达新加坡了。出于军事安全，我们对外称呼他们是"墨西哥人"，也因为我们希望他们黝黑的外表能让这个伪装身份可信。在不到两年的时间里，在1967年7月，新加坡武装部队任命了我们第一批从军官训练课程结业的军官。这是新加坡建立一支有实力且专业的国防力量的决定性一步。
It was a time of great uncertainty for us. Britain was withdrawing its forces from the east of Suez, including its bases in Singapore. Without the IDF, the SAF could not have grown its capabilities, deterred threats, defended our island, and reassured Singaporeans and investors that Singapore was secure, and that Singapore had a future. Dr. Goh would later say that "in retrospect, it's a minor miracle that we ever got off the ground…without the Israelis, we could not have done [it]". We will always be grateful that Israel helped us and stood by us, at our time of great need.
那是我们一段风雨飘摇的日子。英国正从苏伊士运河以东撤退其军队，包括在新加坡的军事基地。没有以色列国防军的帮忙，新加坡武装部队不可能发展其能力，阻吓威胁，保护我们的岛国，并让新加坡人和海外投资者对新加坡有信心，相信新加坡能有未来。吴博士在日后说："回想起来，我们能成功起步是个小奇迹……没有了以色列人，我们将不能实现目标"。我们将永远感激以色列对我们的帮助和支持，特别是在我们最需要的时刻。
Over the years, our relations have expanded much further beyond defence and security, though of course, defence and security ties remain. Our companies are very active in exploring opportunities in both countries. We collaborate in technology and in R&D. The Singapore-Israel Industrial Research & Development Foundation (SIIRD) has funded about 150 projects over the last 20 years, providing about US$170 million in funding. And our universities and research institutes have regular exchanges, including with the Hebrew University. We have just witnessed the signing of three agreements: One with the National Research Foundation to manage Hebrew University's research in Singapore; one with the National University of Singapore; and another one with the Nanyang Technological University, reaffirming the parties' commitment to deepen research collaboration. And I hope we can build on these foundations and these intents to grow our relations further.
这些年来，我们的关系已经扩大到国防和安全以外的领域，当然国防和安全联系依然如故。我们的企业都在彼此的国家积极寻找机会。我们在科技与研发方面合作。新加坡—以色列工业研发基金（SIIRD）20年来资助了约150个项目，共注资约1亿7000万美元。我们的大学和科研机构经常交流，包括与希伯来大学。我们刚见证了三个协议的签署：一个是新加坡国立研究基金会管理希伯来大学在新加坡的研究工作；一个是与新加坡国立大学合作；一个是与南洋理工大学。这都重申了各方对研究合作的承诺。我希望我们能够在这些合作的基础和意愿上，进一步促进我们的关系。
I am especially honoured that the award comes from a renowned university with outstanding strengths in research and innovation. You have a constellation of outstanding alumni – eight Nobel Prize winners, numerous Israeli Presidents and Prime Ministers, leaders in every field. You reflect the remarkable human talent, and the indomitable spirit to overcome overwhelming odds. That is the signature of Israel – whether it is irrigating the desert to make the sand green and agriculture possible, or making revolutionary advances in medical technology, or creating outstanding art, music and architecture.
所获颁的名誉博士学位，来自一所因拥有出色研究和创新能力的大学，让我倍感荣幸。贵校培养了一批杰出的校友——八位诺贝尔奖得主、数位以色列的总统和总理，众多领域的翘楚。贵校代表了卓越的人类才能，以及为了克服艰巨困难所需的不屈不挠精神。这也是以色列的金字招牌——无论是灌溉沙漠为绿洲，让农业变得可能，在医药科技取得革命性突破，或是杰出的艺术、音乐及建筑创作。
That is the spirit of Israel, and Singapore looks to you and admires you, and we count our similarities. First, we are both young nations. Israel is less than 70 years old, and Singapore has just turned 50. Second, we have both had to integrate diverse groups to create a common sense of nationhood. In the case of Singapore, we are a Chinese majority society, but with significant Malay, Indian, and other races as minority communities. And we have represented in Singapore, all the major religions in the world. In Israel, you are a mainly Jewish society, but diverse none the less, with Ashkenazim from Europe; Sephardim from the Middle East; Falashim from Ethiopia; Russian Jews after the collapse of the Soviet Union, one million of them; Sabras, born and raised here; and a significant minority of Israeli Arabs. Thirdly, both countries were born in adverse circumstances and survive only by our wits, and both are determined to thrive despite our circumstances, and to build a better tomorrow for our children.
这就是以色列精神，而新加坡仰慕并以你为榜样，且不无相似之处。首先，我们都是年轻的国家。以色列建国未满70年，新加坡则刚庆祝建国50年。第二，我们都必须凝聚不同的社群，来创建一个共同的国家身份意识。新加坡是个以华人为主的社会，但同时有为数不少的马来人、印度人和其他种族的少数社群。新加坡也有世界各主要宗教。在以色列，你们主要是个犹太社会，但仍然多元，包括来自欧洲的德系犹太人（Ashkenazim）、伊比利半岛犹太人（Sephardim）、来自衣索比亚的法拉沙人（Falasha）、整百万于苏联瓦解后移民来的俄罗斯犹太人、土生土长的犹太人（Sabras），以及规模不小的以色列阿拉伯人。第三，两国都是在逆境中诞生，并依靠斗智斗勇而生存下来；且双方都决心逆境求存，为我们的子孙建设更美好的明天。
But there are also striking contrasts between our countries. First of all, Israel has the Torah and Talmud, and you trace back 5,000 years of Jewish history, including the Second Temple and Masada. Singapore's sense of identity is only as a modern state, even though our different races belong to ancient civilisations, but different ancient civilisations. So therefore, following from this, secondly, Israel's identity is as a Jewish state; Singapore's identity is emphatically not a Chinese nation, but a multiracial, multi-religious society. In fact, being multi-racial and multi-religious for us is a fundamental ideal that was the reason for our independence and our raison d'être – the reason for our existence. Thirdly, Israel has had to fight several wars to defend its right to exist. Singapore has been fortunate never to have been at war with its neighbours, with one exception in the 1960s, when we had to defend ourselves against Konfrontasi, a low-intensity conflict launched by Indonesia against Malaysia, at a time when we were inside Malaysia.
但是两国也存在显著的差异。首先，以色列有《妥拉》律法及《塔木德》法典，可上溯5000年的犹太历史，包括第二圣殿及马塞达要塞。新加坡的身份意识仅是个现代国家，虽然我们的不同族群属于历史悠久的文明，但却是各自不同的文明。因此从第一点引申开来，第二个不同在于，以色列的国家身份是个犹太国，新加坡却绝对不是个华人国家，而是一个多元种族，多元宗教的国家。事实上，多元种族和多元宗教正是我们的基本理念，也是我们独立且存在的根本理由。第三，以色列必须经历多次战争以维护其生存的权利。新加坡则幸运地从未同我们的邻居发生战争，唯一的例外是1960年代的马印对抗，一个由印度尼西亚针对马来西亚所发动的低烈度冲突，当时我们还是马来西亚的一份子。
We may be different, but Israel's story is one that resonates with Singaporeans and is a powerful inspiration to us. As a young man, I read a novel: "Exodus" by Leon Uris. If you are my age, you will probably know the novel. The story made a deep impression on me. I left the book at home. One day, my father happened to pick it up and read it. I was away, so he wrote a letter to me and he told me this. He said, his comment was, the novelist did not miss a single opportunity to score a point about the justness of the cause and the passion of those who founded the state of Israel. When I wrote this up, my people did a bit of research and they discovered that David Ben-Gurion had read the same novel and came to the same conclusion. His comment was: "As a literary work, it isn't much. But as a piece of propaganda, it's the greatest thing ever written about Israel." So I recommend the book to you.
我们或许不同，但以色列的故事能够引起新加坡人的共鸣，也能对我们产生强大的启迪作用。当我年轻时，我阅读了里昂·尤瑞斯（Leon Uris）所撰写的小说《出埃及记》。如果大家与我年龄相仿，应当会熟悉这部小说。小说情节让我留下深刻印象。我把书留在家中。有一天先父碰巧看到了并读完它。我当时人在国外，于是他便在家书里提到这本小说。他的评论是：小说家淋漓尽致地论证了建国的正当性，以及那些以色列建国者的热忱。在我准备这份讲稿时，我的同僚做了点考证。他们发现（以色列国父、首任总理）大卫·本古里安（David Ben-Gurion）也读了这本小说并得出同样的结论。他的评论是："作为一件艺术创作，它并不怎么样。但作为一件宣传品，它却是关于以色列最伟大的文件。"所以我推荐这本书给大家。
It is this passion that has thoroughly imbued the Israeli spirit. That tenacity and determination of a people, who having suffered the horrors of the Holocaust, resolved never again to be dependent on others. A people with the determination to solve whatever problems come your way, no matter how intractable or persistent, and have the confidence that you will make tomorrow better.
正是这种热忱，贯彻了以色列精神。一个坚毅不拔和意志坚定的民族，遭遇大屠杀的恐怖灾难后，坚决不再依靠外人。一个有决心解决任何困难的民族，无论问题有多棘手或难解，并且有信心自己将让明天更美好，一步一步地创建更好的未来。
You will step by step build a better future, but it is a complex story. And recently I have been reading a book by Ari Shavit – "My Promised Land: The Triumph and The Tragedy". It is non-fiction, unlike "Exodus". It is a deeply powerful account of the story of Israel, told through the experiences and reflections of individual Israelis, but also through Arab eyes – the Arab population who lived in Palestine before the settlers arrived; the Palestinians in the occupied territories on the West Bank and the Gaza. Shavit's book makes vividly clear how complex and tragic the Israeli-Palestinian problem is, and why a solution is so elusive. Progress will require enormous imagination, determination and political leadership on both sides, as well as getting the stars aligned in the right places in the firmament, with the great powers supporting you.
各位将一步一步创建更好的未来，但这是一个复杂的故事。最近我正在阅读一本由阿里·沙维特（Ari Shavit）所撰写的书《我的应许之地：以色列的荣耀与悲情》。与《出埃及记》不同，这并非是一本小说。这是关于以色列故事的深沉有力的阐述，通过个别以色列人的经验与反思，也通过阿拉伯人的视角——那些在犹太移民之前居住在巴勒斯坦的阿拉伯人、在西岸和加沙地带占领区的巴勒斯坦人。沙维特的书清晰地表达了以色列－巴勒斯坦问题的复杂和悲剧性，以及为何问题迟迟无解。进步将需要来自双方的巨大想象力、毅力与政治领导力，以及高照的福星和非凡力量的加持。
So on this trip, I am not only visiting Israel, but also the Palestinian National Authority in Ramallah, to signal our friendship with both Israel and the Palestinians; to better understand developments, including the Middle East Peace Process; to express our hope that both sides will take steps to resume direct negotiations and to work towards a just and lasting two-state solution.
此行我不止访问以色列，也访问在拉马拉的巴勒斯坦民族权力机构，以彰显我们与以色列和巴勒斯坦的友谊，并更好地了解最新发展，包括中东和平进程，同时表达我们对双方能采取行动，恢复直接谈判以取得公正且长久的两国方案所抱持的希望。
Mr. Lee Kuan Yew once told a "Mexican" general who had helped start the SAF that Singapore had learnt two things from Israel: How to be strong, and how not to use our strength. I read a recent interview by Mr. Shimon Peres, and was moved by his vision, which he has long held, of Israel in 2048, 100 years after its founding. He was convinced that 2048 will be a much better world for Israel and for the Middle East. Borders will become less relevant. Science and technology will transform communities and connect peoples, and force people to become more open-minded to the world. It is an optimistic view from a person who has lived a long life and seen many things.
李光耀先生曾经对一名协助创建新加坡武装部队的"墨西哥"将军说，新加坡从以色列那里学到两件事：如何变得强大，以及如何克制自己的力量。我最近读到了对（以色列前总理）希蒙·佩雷斯（Shimon Peres）的访问，并被其一以贯之的愿景——他所希望看到建国百年（2048年）的以色列——所打动。他深信2048年的世界将是个对以色列和中东都更好的世界。边界将不再那么重要。科学与技术将改造社群并联系不同人民，并促使人们用更开放的心态面对世界。这是一个长寿且见过世面的人的乐观想法。
Today, such a Middle East seems a long way off, perhaps more distant even than 2048, and more distant than it appeared when you started out in 1948. But I sincerely hope that one day, Mr Peres' vision will be realised. Swords will be turned to ploughshares. Israel and your neighbours will live side-by-side in peace and prosperity. And your friends in Singapore and around the world will rejoice with you too.
今天，他所想象的中东似乎遥不可及，甚至可能比2048年还遥远，也比贵国开始时的1948年显得遥远。但是我真诚地希望，佩雷斯先生的愿景有一天终能实现，干戈化为玉帛。以色列及其邻邦能和平共存，一起繁荣。各位在新加坡的朋友和世界上的友人将为你们而欢欣。
Thank you very much.
谢谢大家。
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