https://www.asiaone.com/singapore/s...erral&utm_campaign=A1+trending&utm_content=c6
singapore
Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan delivering a ministerial statement on the Gaza crisis in Parliament on Sept 22.
PHOTO: MDDI
PUBLISHED ON September 22, 2025 4:08 PM BY Ching Shi Jie
Singapore will formally recognise the state of Palestine when it has an effective government that accepts Israel’s right to exist, Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan said on Parliament on Monday (Sept 22).
The Palestinian government must also renounce terrorism, he added in a ministerial statement.
He was replying to 13 questions filed by MPs on the issue, including whether Singapore is reconsidering its position on recognising Palestinian statehood, and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Outlining Singapore’s “consistent” support for a negotiated two-state solution to the Israel-Palestinian conflict, Dr Balakrishnan acknowledged the barriers to recognise Palestine.
There is no unified Palestinian government that exercises “effective control” in Palestinian Territories in both the West Bank and Gaza for the last 18 years at least, he said.
He noted that Hamas had “violently seized” Gaza from the Palestinian Authority in 2007 and that “what will happen in Gaza after the ceasefire is unclear”.
Dr Balakrishnan added that Hamas has also consistently rejected Israel’s right to exist, and that it has yet to renounce terrorism or agree to disarm.
“Singapore enjoys good relations with the Palestinian Authority. We welcome its commitment to renounce terrorism, to carry out reforms and to disarm Hamas,” he said.
“However, it remains to be seen whether the Palestinian Authority can really disarm and displace Hamas from Gaza.”
On Sunday (Sept 21), Britain, Canada, Australia and Portugal announced that they would formally recognise the state of Palestine, joining the over 140 other countries who are also backing Palestinians’ aspirations to forge an independent homeland from the occupied territories.
Dr Balakrishnan said that the four nations have moved to formally recognise the Palestinian state now “even as the prospects of a functioning state have become more remote”.
“They do so to express their great concern of the status quo, and they hope this will make it harder for Israel to extinguish the two-state solution altogether”.
He said that Singapore will reconsider its position if the situation continues to deteriorate, or if Israel takes further steps to extinguish a two-state solution.
On this end, Dr Balakrishnan said that Singapore will impose targeted sanctions on the leaders of radical-right wing Israeli settler groups who have been responsible for acts of violence against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, following Israel’s announcement on major expansion of settlements there.
In a separate ministerial statement, Acting Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim said that recognising Palestinian statehood is “not a question of if, but when it will happen”.
It is something that the Government is working towards to “ensure peace for the people of Palestine and Israel”, he added.
“We may not recognise Palestine today, but I would like to make clear to Singaporeans that we have not failed, and will not be silent onlookers to the tragedy unfolding in Gaza,” said Associate Professor Faisal.
Responding to the ministerial statement, Leader of Opposition Pritam Singh questioned if Singapore’s position will risk being seen as “anachronistic” given that an “overwhelming majority of the international community” has recognised the state of Palestine.
The Workers’ Party chief claimed that Singapore’s precondition on recognising Palestine is “not realistic” when the Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly doubled down on his opposition to an idea of a Palestinian state.
In reply, Dr Balakrishnan said that countries have different thresholds, or triggers, to decide when to take diplomatic moves.
”We are prepared in principle to recognise the Palestinian state today…. (they) have to sort themselves politically to be an effective unified voice that can conduct foreign policy,” he added.
“And because of our complete aversion to terrorism, that’s why we have taken this position. So I don’t think we are being anachronistic. I think we are being realistic.”
singapore
Singapore will recognise Palestinian state when it has an effective government, recognises Israel's right to exist: Vivian
The Palestinian government must also renounce terrorism, he said
Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan delivering a ministerial statement on the Gaza crisis in Parliament on Sept 22.
PHOTO: MDDI
PUBLISHED ON September 22, 2025 4:08 PM BY Ching Shi Jie
Singapore will formally recognise the state of Palestine when it has an effective government that accepts Israel’s right to exist, Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan said on Parliament on Monday (Sept 22).
The Palestinian government must also renounce terrorism, he added in a ministerial statement.
He was replying to 13 questions filed by MPs on the issue, including whether Singapore is reconsidering its position on recognising Palestinian statehood, and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Outlining Singapore’s “consistent” support for a negotiated two-state solution to the Israel-Palestinian conflict, Dr Balakrishnan acknowledged the barriers to recognise Palestine.
There is no unified Palestinian government that exercises “effective control” in Palestinian Territories in both the West Bank and Gaza for the last 18 years at least, he said.
He noted that Hamas had “violently seized” Gaza from the Palestinian Authority in 2007 and that “what will happen in Gaza after the ceasefire is unclear”.
Dr Balakrishnan added that Hamas has also consistently rejected Israel’s right to exist, and that it has yet to renounce terrorism or agree to disarm.
“Singapore enjoys good relations with the Palestinian Authority. We welcome its commitment to renounce terrorism, to carry out reforms and to disarm Hamas,” he said.
“However, it remains to be seen whether the Palestinian Authority can really disarm and displace Hamas from Gaza.”
On Sunday (Sept 21), Britain, Canada, Australia and Portugal announced that they would formally recognise the state of Palestine, joining the over 140 other countries who are also backing Palestinians’ aspirations to forge an independent homeland from the occupied territories.
Dr Balakrishnan said that the four nations have moved to formally recognise the Palestinian state now “even as the prospects of a functioning state have become more remote”.
“They do so to express their great concern of the status quo, and they hope this will make it harder for Israel to extinguish the two-state solution altogether”.
He said that Singapore will reconsider its position if the situation continues to deteriorate, or if Israel takes further steps to extinguish a two-state solution.
On this end, Dr Balakrishnan said that Singapore will impose targeted sanctions on the leaders of radical-right wing Israeli settler groups who have been responsible for acts of violence against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, following Israel’s announcement on major expansion of settlements there.
In a separate ministerial statement, Acting Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim said that recognising Palestinian statehood is “not a question of if, but when it will happen”.
It is something that the Government is working towards to “ensure peace for the people of Palestine and Israel”, he added.
“We may not recognise Palestine today, but I would like to make clear to Singaporeans that we have not failed, and will not be silent onlookers to the tragedy unfolding in Gaza,” said Associate Professor Faisal.
Responding to the ministerial statement, Leader of Opposition Pritam Singh questioned if Singapore’s position will risk being seen as “anachronistic” given that an “overwhelming majority of the international community” has recognised the state of Palestine.
The Workers’ Party chief claimed that Singapore’s precondition on recognising Palestine is “not realistic” when the Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly doubled down on his opposition to an idea of a Palestinian state.
In reply, Dr Balakrishnan said that countries have different thresholds, or triggers, to decide when to take diplomatic moves.
”We are prepared in principle to recognise the Palestinian state today…. (they) have to sort themselves politically to be an effective unified voice that can conduct foreign policy,” he added.
“And because of our complete aversion to terrorism, that’s why we have taken this position. So I don’t think we are being anachronistic. I think we are being realistic.”
