While Israel has a right to self-defence and respond to Hamas' deadly terror attack on Oct. 7, 2023, its military response has "gone too far", Singapore Minister for Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan said in Parliament.

Even though Singapore disapproves of Israel's actions, it will not sever ties with Israel as it is not in its national interest, Vivian said, nor is it "constructive" in terms of affecting what's happening in Gaza.

Vivian also said: "The catastrophic situation in Gaza demands an immediate humanitarian ceasefire to alleviate the unbearable suffering of the civilian victims and to enable humanitarian assistance to reach them immediately."

Speaking in the Committee of Supply debate for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Feb. 29, 2024, Vivian added that Singapore will send a third tranche of aid to Gaza.

Singaporeans understandably have a strong response to Gaza-Crisis

Vivian said the Israel-Hamas war and the resultant humanitarian crisis have "quite understandably" elicited a very strong response from Singaporeans and ignited a debate over Singapore's foreign policy and response.

"Anyone with a heart must ache with every picture, every video, every news report you read. Far too many innocent lives have been lost or maimed, forever."

Vivian said he appreciated that many Singaporeans felt deeply about the situation in Gaza.

However, some wanted the government to go beyond voting for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza in the United Nations (UN) general assemblies, such as severing diplomatic ties with Israel and recalling Singapore's ambassador to Israel, or engaging in other "performative diplomatic actions".

Singapore voted in favour of a humanitarian ceasefire twice in the respective United Nations (UN) general assemblies on Oct. 27 and Dec. 12, 2023. However, it pointed out that the October resolution had two significant omissions.

Breaking off ties will not influence Israel to suddenly change its policy

Vivian said severing ties with Israel, or any countries whose actions it disapproves of for that matter, is not in Singapore's national interest.

"Ceremonially breaking ties with countries every time we disapprove of their actions, in my view, is not constructive.

Whatever we say or do diplomatically will not change the situation on the ground.

Nor will it influence Israel to suddenly change its policy or will it necessarily immediately reduce the suffering of the Palestinians."

Vivian pointed out that none of the five permanent UN Security Council members have officially broken off ties with Israel, nor have Muslim Arab countries like Jordan, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates stopped their diplomatic relations with Israel.

Also, Asean countries like Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines have not broken off relations nor "closed their embassies".

Singapore's foreign policy and our core interests

While Vivian understood the depth of feeling about the conflict, he hoped that those listening would also take his point that Singapore's foreign policy cannot be driven one way or the other, by sentiment or affinity to any external group.

Instead, it must consistently act according to Singapore's core interests and safeguard its independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and security.

He said that as a small country, it is in Singapore's national interest to remain engaged with the international community and maintain ties with as many countries as possible.

This includes Israel and the Palestinian Authority, both of which Singapore have been able to maintain good and respectful relations with, Vivian said.

It is also in Singapore's interest to recognise Israel’s right to self-defence following the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas on Israeli civilians.

Vivian said it is not because Singapore is taking sides, but because Singapore will similarly assert its right to self-defence if it were in the same scenario.

Oct. 7, and what happened after

At least 1,139 Israelis died after the Oct. 7 Hamas attack. Another 240 were taken hostage.

Israel responded with air strikes, cutting off food, water and fuel and launched an armed response, resulting in at least 29,782 civilians killed and another 70,043 injured, according to Gaza's health ministry, which is run by the Hamas government.

A short seven-day truce was agreed upon once in November 2023, but there has been no pause in the fighting since.

Calls for Singaporeans to unite instead of divide

Amidst what's happening around the world, Vivian called on Singaporeans to remain cohesive, saying it is "absolutely essential and existential".

"If we cannot be united at home, how do we face the outside world with all its dangerous challenges and risks?"

Describing the Israel-Hamas conflict as a long-standing one with a complicated history, Vivian said it is not possible for Singaporeans to decide or to determine who is right or who has a stronger historical claim, nor is it "our quarrel".

"It's not possible for outsiders like us, no matter how we feel or don't feel about them and their identity and their culture, and their religion."

However, he stressed that the Israel-Hamas conflict is not a religious battle.

"Religion is actually a veneer covering the heart of the conflict," he said. "It's an age-old conflict. A fight over land, over identity over power."

Israel and Palestine both have a right to exist, Singapore supports a negotiated two-state solution

Vivian reiterated that both Israel and Palestine have a right to exist.

"Israel has a right to live peacefully within secure borders. But the Palestinian people also have a right to a homeland," he said, adding that this was why, back in 1988, Singapore "welcomed the proclamation of a Palestinian state".

He said Singapore also has consistently opposed moves that undermine a negotiated two-state solution in Israel and Palestine, pointing out that Singapore opposed Israel's illegal settlements in the West Bank and unilateral measures to change the status of Jerusalem.

Contributing aid

Vivian said Singapore will be donating a third tranche of aid for Gaza via Jordan.

It will also continue its long-standing support for the Palestinian Authority’s capacity-building efforts through the S$10 million Enhanced Technical Assistance Package.

"We do all this because we look forward to the day when there's peace, and that there is a functioning, capable Palestinian state, and that the Palestinian people get the peace and progress which they so richly deserve."

After back and forth, LO Singh says Singapore should not sever ties

Leader of the Opposition (LO) Pritam Singh of the Workers' Party (WP) sought clarification from Vivian on how Singapore will move forward on a foreign policy issue when the government of another country took a "diametrically different position" from its own.

Vivian, in turn, sought clarification from Singh, asking if the LO agrees that Singapore should not sever diplomatic ties with a country, even if they disagree and have a fundamentally different position.

"Short of re-characterising how I put my question, which I have thought through carefully, indeed, my query on diplomatic ties — I'd rather be in communication with a party rather than not be in communication with the party," Singh replied.

"But the point, I think, was about how you respond when the other party actually takes a diametrically different position from your national position," Singh added.

After Vivian said he would interpret that reply as Singh agreeing that Singapore should not sever diplomatic ties, Singh clarified, "No need to interpret, I agree."

@mothershipsg They are both in agreement #parliamentsg #singapore #tiktoksg #sgnews ♬ original sound - Mothership

Vivian: Communication is better in times of divergence

"So actually, on policy and on action and position, I think the Workers' Party agrees with the position to be taken," Vivian replied.

However, he thinks that Singh had raised a fair question to ask for the government's "thinking behind" its decision as he believes WP and the People's Action Party can "arrive at the same decision but for completely different reasons".

Noting that there will be disagreements and even standoffs "close to kinetic action" with other countries from time to time, Vivian asked: "Will a performative gesture of formally breaking ties will necessarily be helpful?"

"My own inclination is to say in times of tension, in times of divergence, in times of conflict, actually, the more you can engage and communicate and keep multiple channels of communication open, the better."

He listed Russia invading Ukraine as an example, saying that Singapore is the only Southeast Asian country to have imposed sanctions against Russia, but emphasised that even those sanctions were "targeted" and "restrained".

Despite Singapore's differences with Russia, it has not broken ties, and Vivian said he has continued to meet his counterpart in Russia informally to communicate the differences in Singapore's position.

Singapore's relationships in the Middle East

Vivian pointed out that Singapore has the "rare privilege" of having access to "all the countries" in the Middle East, even in a time of crisis.

However, he said that Singapore doesn't agree with everything that "every counterpart in Israel and the Arab countries say".

"But they listen to us. They respect our positions."

He added that for efforts like delivering humanitarian assistance to Gaza, "we will need to work with Israel".

Singapore also does not take for granted its mutually respectful and constructive relations, and it has only come about because it has conducted foreign policy in a principled, consistent, respectful and constructive way for decades.

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