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Singapore prepared in principle to recognise Palestine as a state at appropriate time: Vivian

SINGAPORE - Singapore is prepared in principle to recognise Palestine as a state and will make this move at an appropriate time, Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan said in Parliament on July 2.

Its key consideration in doing so is that such a move should help the progress towards peace and a negotiated two-state solution, he added.

“In particular, there will need to be an effective Palestinian government that accepts Israel’s right to exist and categorically rejects terrorism,” Dr Balakrishnan said. “Both sides have legitimate rights, and both peoples have a right to live in peace and dignity within secure borders.”

He was responding to questions on Singapore’s May 10 decision to vote for a United Nations resolution backing the admission of Palestine as a member of the world body, which it said was made after “serious and careful consideration”.

PAP MPs Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim (Chua Chu Kang GRC) and Mariam Jaafar (Sembawang GRC), along with Workers’ Party MP Gerald Giam (Aljunied GRC) and Non-Constituency MP Leong Mun Wai, had subsequently filed parliamentary questions to ask about Singapore’s considerations for officially recognising Palestine as a state.

In his response, Dr Balakrishnan urged both sides to seize the moment to take steps towards a long-lasting peace and put an end to the suffering that has “gone on for too long”.

“Ultimately, Israelis and Palestinians would need to exercise leadership and would have to work together to forge a better future for their peoples. As Singapore is a friend to both, Singapore will continue to offer our encouragement and our tangible support to both Palestinians and Israelis,” he said.

The minister also reiterated the principles guiding Singapore’s position on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He noted that Singapore has consistently advocated a negotiated two-state solution, consistent with the relevant UN Security Council resolutions, as a way for Israelis and Palestinians to live side by side in peace and security.

“This is the only viable path for achieving a comprehensive, a just and a durable solution to this conflict,” Dr Balakrishnan said.

Mr Giam asked about the thresholds that need to be crossed for Singapore to recognise the state of Palestine, to which Dr Balakrishnan said it depends on whether there is an effective Palestinian government or leadership that represents all Palestinians.

This authority should have effective control over the West Bank and Gaza Strip, and the mandate and authority to negotiate with the Israelis on behalf of the Palestinians, he said.

“So, I would say that we are not going to lock ourselves in to a specific time, or to whether or not other countries have made decisions in parallel on the same fundamental question,” he added.

Dr Balakrishnan said that Singapore has consistently supported the right of the Palestinian people to a homeland.

In 1988, the Palestinian Liberation Organisation issued a proclamation on the State of Palestine that affirmed the UN’s partition of the Mandate of Palestine into an Arab and a Jewish state, as well as the organisation’s decision to renounce violence against Israel.

Singapore welcomed this proclamation because the Palestinian Liberation Organisation explicitly rejected terrorism and recognised the right of Israel as a state to exist, Dr Balakrishnan said, adding that Singapore saw these moves as progress towards a durable solution.

On April 18, a Security Council resolution that recommended Palestine be admitted to membership in the UN was vetoed.

On May 10, the General Assembly took up a resolution expressing support for Palestine’s membership in the UN and recommending that the Security Council reconsider this matter favourably.

Singapore had voted in favour of this resolution. The vote in the UN General Assembly was supported by 143 members and opposed by nine – including the United States and Israel – while 25 members abstained.

“Singapore voted in favour of this resolution after very careful consideration, and this reflected our hope to encourage both Israel and Palestine to resume direct negotiations towards a two-state solution at a time when, in fact, the prospects for such negotiations were increasingly bleak,” said Dr Balakrishnan.

He added: “We therefore decided to join the majority of the international community in supporting this resolution, which is also in line with our longstanding support for the principles of international law and for the implementation of all relevant Security Council resolutions.”

Mr Giam and fellow Workers’ Party MP Faisal Manap (Aljunied GRC) had also asked about Singapore’s plans to provide technical assistance to Palestinian officials and help them with reconstruction efforts after the conflict.

Dr Balakrishan said Singapore will continue its engagement with the Palestinian Authority (PA). Singapore continues to implement its $10 million Enhanced Technical Assistance Package (Etap) to help the PA build capacity and prepare for eventual statehood.

In 2013, then Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Masagos Zulkifli presented an Etap worth $5 million to then PA Prime Minister Salam Fayyad. The package was part of Singapore’s ongoing commitment to support the PA’s capacity building and development needs.

Under the Etap, PA officials are provided sponsorship to participate in study visits to Singapore and capacity-building courses under the Singapore Cooperation Programme. It also offers scholarships for the officials to pursue postgraduate studies at Singapore universities.

In 2016, then Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced the doubling of the pledge amount of the previous package from $5 million to $10 million, with a focus on skills building.

To date, Singapore has trained more than 750 officials in areas like diplomacy, water management, economic development and urban planning – important areas that any government will need expertise in, Dr Balakrishnan said.

During his visit to Ramallah in March 2024, PA Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa expressed appreciation for Singapore’s technical assistance and sought further capacity-building support in civil service training and digitalisation, he added.

As a follow-up, a course on transforming the public service using artificial intelligence will be organised for PA officials from July 8 to 12.

Under the Etap, Singapore has disbursed 13 postgraduate scholarships to Palestinian officials to pursue postgraduate studies in various areas, including science, technology, engineering and mathematics, international relations and computing at the Nanyang Technological University and the National University of Singapore.

Three Palestinian officials have been awarded scholarships in 2024 in accountancy, international political economy and info-communications security.

“We hope that these training opportunities will help PA officials better serve the Palestinian people, as well as equip them with the necessary skills when it comes to the eventual reconstruction of Gaza,” he said.

On the question of helping Palestinian officials with the reconstruction of Gaza, Dr Balakrishnan said Singapore will assess how best it can assist bilaterally and as part of multilateral efforts, and that he remains in close touch with his counterparts in the region on this issue.

He shared that Singapore participated in a conference co-hosted by King Abdullah II of Jordan, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on June 11 to discuss the humanitarian response to Gaza.

“We stand ready to contribute, taking into account Gaza’s needs and into account our own resources and expertise. But clearly, all this can only take effect when the fighting ceases,” he said. “For now, the focus has to be on securing an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza and the release of all the hostages immediately.”

Mr Zhulkarnain then asked about further support that Singapore might provide once it recognises Palestine as a state.

Singapore intends to continue all its assistance packages and look for opportunities to do more, Dr Balakrishnan replied. “And quite frankly, the level of support that we provide to the PA will not depend upon whether or not there is formal recognition.”

Mr Leong also asked whether Singapore has made any defence sales to Israel, such as weapons that can cause any harm to civilians, since Oct 7, 2023. This was the date of the attack on Israel by Palestinian militant group Hamas.

In response, Dr Balakrishnan said Singapore complies strictly with its international obligations on international arms sales, as well as UN sanctions and embargoes against any country, including submitting regular reports to the UN Register of Conventional Arms.

“Apart from this, it is the established policy of the Government not to publicly divulge any details of defence sales for national security reasons.”

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Follow our news, recent searches, singapore prepared to recognise a palestinian state with an effective govt that accepts israel's right to exist, advertisement.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan also said Singapore will continue to use the S$10 million Enhanced Technical Assistance Package to help the Palestinian Authority prepare for eventual statehood.

Singapore Minister for Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan urged Israel and Palestine to take steps toward long-lasting peace and put an end to the suffering "that has gone on for far too long". 

This audio is generated by an AI tool.

SINGAPORE: Singapore is "prepared in principle" to recognise Palestine as a sovereign state if it has an effective government that renounces terrorism and accepts Israel's right to exist, Minister for Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan said in parliament on Tuesday (Jul 2).

He was addressing five questions raised by Members of Parliament about Palestine and Singapore's aid in reconstruction.

Dr Balakrishnan noted that, in May this year, Singapore voted in favour of the resolution expressing support for Palestine's membership in the United Nations after "very careful consideration".

"This reflected our hope to encourage both Israel and Palestine to resume direct negotiations towards a two-state solution, at a time when in fact the prospects for such negotiations were increasingly bleak," he said. 

The decision was also in line with Singapore's consistent support for the principles of international law, he added.

"Our vote at the United Nations General Assembly means that Singapore is prepared in principle to recognise the State of Palestine," said Dr Balakrishnan. "We will make this move at an appropriate time."

"Our key consideration is that such a move on our part should help progress toward peace and a negotiated two-state solution."

The two-state solution is the "only viable path" for achieving a comprehensive, just and durable solution to the conflict, which Singapore has consistently advocated for, he said. 

"In particular, there will need to be an effective Palestinian government that accepts Israel’s right to exist and categorically rejects terrorism."

"Both sides have legitimate rights, and both peoples have a right to live in peace and dignity within secure borders," he said.

In response to a supplementary question by MP Gerald Giam (WP-Aljunied) on what thresholds would need to be crossed for Singapore to recognise the state of Palestine, Dr Balakrishnan said the principle consideration is whether, when Singapore takes that step, it helps or hinders the progress towards peace.

That, in turn, depends on negotiations between both sides, he said.

Every country has to decide whether there is an effective Palestinian leadership that represents all Palestinians, has effective control over the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, and has the mandate to negotiate with the Israelis, he added.

Different countries will have different thresholds and will arrive at an answer in their own time. It also depends on their domestic circumstances, he said.

"I would say that we are not going to lock ourselves in to a specific time or to whether or not other countries have made decisions in parallel, on the same fundamental question," said Dr Balakrishnan.

Mr Giam then asked if Singapore might then be in a catch-22 situation where it does not recognise the state of Palestine because there is no effective government governing the territory, but current realities prevent an effective government from emerging.

Dr Balakrishnan said there are two different dimensions - whether there is an effective Palestinian leadership is a separate question from whether there is a recognisable Palestinian state.

He reiterated Singapore's position that only a negotiated two-state solution will lead to enduring peace.

"Without those prerequisites, never mind the diplomatic and legal niceties. Without the recognition and respect of the other's right to exist and without renouncing terrorism, these cycles of violence will recur."

He also said Singapore has an unusual and unique privilege of being welcomed by all sides, including "warring parties", because of our track record of principled, deliberate, careful diplomacy.

The conflict is difficult and complex, and is a "family quarrel in another family", he added.

Singapore is prepared in principle to recognise a Palestinian state “at an appropriate time”. The key consideration is that such a move should help progress towards peace and a negotiated two-state solution. In particular, there will need to be an effective Palestinian government that accepts Israel’s right to exist and categorically rejects terrorism. Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan said this in Parliament on Tuesday (Jul 2) in reply to MPs’ questions. He noted that in May this year, after “very careful consideration”, Singapore voted in favour of a resolution expressing support for Palestine’s membership in the United Nations. This reflected its hope of encouraging Israel and Palestine to resume direct negotiations towards a two-state solution at a time when prospects were increasingly bleak. It was also in line with Singapore’s consistent support for the principles of international law. Dr Balakrishnan urged Israel and Palestine to take steps towards a long-lasting peace and end the suffering “that has gone on for far too long”. As a friend to both sides, Singapore will continue to offer encouragement and tangible support, he said. Singapore will continue to implement its S$10 million Enhanced Technical Assistance Package to help the Palestinian Authority build capacity and prepare for eventual statehood. More than 750 officials have been trained so far in areas like diplomacy, water management, economic management and urban planning. A course on transforming the public service through artificial intelligence will be organised for Palestinian officials this month. They can also receive fully funded scholarships to pursue postgraduate studies in Singapore universities. To a question on training Palestinian officials to aid the reconstruction of Gaza, Dr Balakrishnan said Singapore will assess how best to help bilaterally and as part of multilateral efforts.

Singapore does not engage in performative gestures, said Dr Balakrishnan.

"My focus is not to add fuel to the fire, but to be quietly, discreetly, constructively helpful to the people at the humanitarian level and to build up capacity, specifically with respect to the Palestinian Authority."

He  urged Israel and Palestine to take steps toward long-lasting peace and put an end to the suffering "that has gone on for far too long". 

The Israelis and Palestinians need to exercise leadership and work together for a better future, he said.

"As Singapore is a friend to both, Singapore will continue to offer our encouragement and our tangible support."

Commentary: Israel’s invasion of Rafah will not eliminate Hamas or end the war

US says Palestinian state should come via talks, not unilateral recognition

Study visits, scholarships.

To that end, Singapore will continue to tap the S$10 million (US$7.4 million) Enhanced Technical Assistance Package to help the Palestinian Authority build capacity and prepare for eventual statehood, said Dr Balakrishnan.

Palestinian officials will be in Singapore from Jul 8 to Jul 12 for a study visit on using artificial intelligence in the public service.

Singapore has hosted Palestinians delegations for 18 study visits over the years on topics including urban planning and development, and public finance and fiscal policy.

More than 750 officials have also been trained in areas like diplomacy, water management and economic development, said Dr Balakrishnan. 

Postgraduate scholarships have also been disbursed to 13 Palestinian officials to study at the Nanyang Technological University and the National University of Singapore.

Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics courses were included in the programmes offered under the assistance package in response to feedback that Palestinian officials were interested in them as they can better support development. 

The Enhanced Technical Assistance Package was first presented in 2013, and the amount was doubled to S$10 million in 2016.

"We hope that these training opportunities will help Palestinian Authority officials better serve the Palestinian people, as well as equip them with the necessary skills when it comes to the eventual reconstruction of Gaza," said Dr Balakrishnan.

With regard to a question on training Palestinian officials to aid the reconstruction of Gaza, the minister said Singapore will assess how best to assist bilaterally.

"We stand ready to contribute, taking into account Gaza’s needs and an account of our own resources and expertise, but clearly all this can only take effect when the fighting ceases," he said. "For now, the focus has to be on securing an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza and the release of all hostages immediately."

Non-Constituency Member of Parliament Leong Mun Wai also asked the minister whether Singapore has sold any materials that could cause harm to civilians to Israel since Oct 7. 

Dr Balakrishnan said Singapore complies strictly with international obligations on international arms sales as well as UN sanctions and embargoes against any country. Singapore also submits regular reports to the UN Register of Conventional Arms.

"Apart from this, it is the established policy of the government not to publicly divulge any details of defence sales for national security reasons," he said.

IN FOCUS: Alleged ‘double standard’ treatment of Palestinian, Rohingya refugees stirring debate, concerns in Malaysia

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Travel Advisory for Israel and the Palestinian Territories, 8 October 2023

08 october 2023.

There have been rocket and terror attacks from Gaza on Israel since 7 October 2023. Rocket fire has been ongoing between Israel and the Gaza Strip. Singaporeans  should avoid all travel to the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, and Israel’s borders with the Gaza Strip, Lebanon and Syria. Singaporeans are also advised to avoid all non-essential travel to Israel in view of the ongoing conflict.

Singaporeans travelling to or residing in Israel and the Palestinian Territories are advised to remain vigilant, monitor local developments closely, and avoid areas known for public disturbances or where large crowds congregate, especially in the Old City and East Jerusalem including Haram al-Sharif/Temple Mount. They should take all necessary precautions for personal safety including purchasing comprehensive travel and medical insurance.

  In addition, Singaporeans are strongly encouraged to eRegister with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at  https://eregister.mfa.gov.sg  so that we can contact you should the need arise.  Singaporeans are also advised to stay in touch with your family and friends so that they know you are safe.  Those who need consular assistance while in Israel or the Palestinian Territories may contact the Singapore Embassy in Tel Aviv or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Duty Office (24 hours) at:

Embassy of the Republic of Singapore in Israel (Tel Aviv)

Address: 28 HaArba’a Street, South Tower (19th floor), Tel Aviv 6473926, Israel

Tel: +972 3 7289334

Fax: +972 3 7289340

Email:  [email protected]

Ministry of Foreign Affairs Duty Office (24 hr)

Address: Tanglin, Singapore 248163

Tel: +65 6379 8800/8855

Fax: +65 6476 7302

Email: [email protected]

.         .         .         .         .

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

8 OCTOBER 2023

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is a ministry of the Government of Singapore responsible for conducting and managing diplomatic relations between Singapore and other countries and regions.

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