Gaza and Singapore

Punditarian compares Gaza with Singapore and wonders why Gaza isn't as rich a nation like Singapore. From The Astute Bloggers:

I think that the territory of Gaza alone would make a handsome state if its inhabitants would pull up their socks and devote themselves to building it up. Since I think most people think of Singapore as a thriving, prosperous, small city-state. Let's just compare Gaza and Singapore, and see if that isn't the case.

When the predominantly Chinese population of Singapore seceded from the Malaysian Federation in 1963, many voices predicted that the tiny island nation would never make it. How could it?

It was too densely populated, had too few resources, and would not be able to survive without the Malaysian hinterland to support it.

But the Singaporeans showed that they could make it, becoming one of the great Asian economic tigers. The citizens of Gaza could do the same thing.