Taiwan deepens ties with Israel, citing unmatched support despite Gaza war backlash

TAIPEI: Taiwan’s foreign minister is making it clear: the island wants a closer friendship with Israel, even as the world debates Israel’s actions in Gaza. Why? Because, he says, Israel has shown Taiwan a level of support that’s hard to find elsewhere in the Middle East.

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung explained it simply: “We’ll be friendly to countries that are friendly to us.” For him, one moment stood out—the declaration signed earlier this year by 72 members of Israel’s parliament calling for Taiwan to be included in major international organisations. It was, he suggested, a rare and genuine show of solidarity that Taiwan doesn’t take for granted.

Lin also spoke candidly about the diplomatic currents shaping Taiwan’s stance. He noted that Palestine’s support for Beijing’s “One-China” principle—the idea that Taiwan is part of China—has left Taiwan with few options to build ties there. In navigating these tensions, he said, Taiwan tries to ensure its values and its national interests move in the same direction.

Taipei has recently been criticised over a planned donation to a medical centre located inside an Israeli settlement in the West Bank—an area the International Court of Justice has ruled is under illegal Israeli occupation. Lin didn’t confirm whether the donation was still on the table. Instead, he stressed that Taiwan’s priority right now is humanitarian aid, not political entanglement.

“We provide a lot of humanitarian aid to both sides, including the Gaza Strip and Palestine,” he said, adding that Taiwanese diplomats have been instructed not to get pulled into the conflict.

Shifting to Taiwan’s own struggles, Lin said the island’s experience with China—from grey-zone warfare to cyber threats and data security battles—could offer valuable lessons to other democracies trying to fend off authoritarian pressure.

His comments followed a rare diplomatic stop in Brussels alongside Vice President Bi-khim Hsiao, who urged the European Union to strengthen trade and security ties with Taiwan.

The underlying message was unmistakable: as global tensions grow, Taiwan is looking to stand closer to those who openly stand with it. And in Lin’s view, Israel has done exactly that.