Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs (a) how effective has Singapore’s technical assistance to Palestinian officials been in helping the Palestinian Authority to function more effectively as a state; (b) what other contribution is Singapore making towards realising a two-state solution with the Israelis and Palestinians living side-by-side in peace and security; and (c) what prevents Singapore from officially recognising the State of Palestine before a two-state solution is reached.
Mr Muhamad Faisal Bin Abdul Manap asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs whether Singapore has any plans to train Palestinian officials from Gaza towards aiding in the reconstruction of the enclave once military operations have ceased.
Dr Vivian Balakrishnan: Thank you. Let me begin by reaffirming the principles that guide Singapore’s position on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. We have consistently advocated for a negotiated two-state solution that is consistent with the relevant United Nations (UN) Security Council resolutions because we believe this is a way for Israelis and Palestinians to live side by side in peace and security. In fact, this is the only viable path for achieving a comprehensive, a just and a durable solution to this conflict.
We have also consistently supported the right of the Palestinian people to a homeland. In 1988, the Palestinian Liberation Organisation (PLO) issued a proclamation on the State of Palestine which affirmed the UN’s partition of the Mandate of Palestine into an Arab and a Jewish State, as well as the PLO’s decision to renounce violence against Israel. We welcomed this proclamation back in 1988 because the PLO had therefore explicitly rejected terrorism and recognised the right of the State of Israel to exist. We saw these moves as progress towards a durable solution.
On 18 April 2024, a UN Security Council resolution that recommended that Palestine be admitted for membership to the UN was vetoed. On 10 May 2024, the General Assembly took up a resolution expressing support for Palestine’s membership in the UN and recommended that the Security Council reconsider this matter favourably. Singapore voted in favour of this resolution 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. We therefore decided to join the majority of the international community in supporting this resolution, which is also in line with our long-standing support for the principles of international law and for the implementation of all relevant UN Security Council resolutions.
Our vote at the UN’s General Assembly means that Singapore is prepared in principle to recognise the State of Palestine. We will make this move at an appropriate time. Our key consideration is that such a move on our part 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.
Both sides have legitimate rights and both peoples have a right to live in peace and dignity within secure borders. We urge both sides to seize the moment, to take steps towards a long-lasting peace and to put an end to the suffering that has gone on for far too long. Ultimately, Israelis and Palestinians need to exercise leadership and will 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.
Singapore will continue our engagement with the Palestinian Authority. We will continue to implement our S$10 million Enhanced Technical Assistance Package (ETAP) to help the Palestinian Authority build capacity and to prepare for eventual statehood. To date, we have trained more than 750 officials in a variety of areas, including diplomacy, water management, economic development and urban planning. These are important vital areas that any government will need have the necessary expertise in.
During my recent visit to Ramallah in March 2024, the Prime Minister of Palestine, Mohammad Mustafa expressed his appreciation for our long-standing technical assistance and, in fact, he sought further capacity-building support, especially in civil service training and in digitalisation. I welcomed his interest in these areas and I said that Singapore will do our best to respond. As a follow-up, there will be a course on “Transforming Public Service with the Power of Artificial Intelligence” which we will conduct for Palestinian Authority officials later this month.
We will also provide fully funded scholarships for Palestinian officials to pursue postgraduate studies in our local universities. Three Palestinian officials have already been awarded scholarships this year, I think in accountancy, international political economy and info-communications security. We hope that this training opportunities will help the Palestinian Authority officials better serve the Palestinian people, as well as equip them with necessary skills when it comes to the eventual reconstruction of Gaza.
On Mr Faisal Manap’s specific question on training Palestinian officials to aid in the reconstruction of Gaza, let me just state that Singapore will assess how best we can help bilaterally and, in fact, as part of a multilateral effort. I remain in close and constant contact with all my counterparts in the Middle East on this issue. Singapore participated in a conference co-hosted by King Abdullah II of Jordan, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi and the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on 11 June this year to discuss the humanitarian response to Gaza. We stand ready to contribute, taking into account Gaza’s needs and in account of our own resources and expertise. But clearly, all these can only take effect when the fighting ceases. For now, the focus has to be on securing an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza and the release of all the hostages immediately.
Mr Speaker: Mr Gerald Giam.
Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song (Aljunied): I thank the Minister for his answers. Sir, what would be the thresholds that need to be crossed for Singapore to recognise the State of Palestine? Specifically, would it happen only when a two-state solution is negotiated and concluded? If so, this is no different from Singapore’s previous position.
Secondly, does the Minister agree that the formal recognition of Palestine’s statehood by Singapore and other countries which have close relations with Israel, like Spain, Ireland and Norway, would be a significant statement of unequivocal support for the two-state solution and will give impetus to advancing the moribund peace process?
Lastly, would the Minister agree that the recognition of Palestine would allow for negotiations to proceed on a more equal footing between two recognised states, the State of Israel and the State of Palestine, rather than one state negotiating with a non-state entity?
Dr Vivian Balakrishnan: I thank Mr Giam for the questions. In fact, I thank him for accompanying me on my trip to the Middle East in March.
Let me reiterate that we are prepared, in principle, to recognise Palestine and the principal consideration is: when we do this, would it be helpful or would it hinder the progress towards peace and which, in turn, in fact, depends on negotiations between both sides.
The Member mentioned “equal”. But a key point and the prickly question which every single country that is pondering this question has to decide is: is there an effective Palestine government or leadership who represents all Palestinians which has effective control over, at the minimum, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, and has the mandate, has the authority to negotiate with the Israelis on behalf of the Palestinians?
And, quite frankly, I think every other country in the world will have to grapple with this same question but will arrive at that answer, probably at a different threshold or a different point in time. Frankly, it will also depend on their own domestic circumstances. So, I would say that we are not going to lock ourselves into a specific time or to whether or not other countries have made decisions in parallel on the same fundamental question.
So, let me summarise again. We are prepared, in principle, to recognise the state of Palestine. But we want to do so at an appropriate moment when it is helpful, and you must have an effective Palestine government and one, which I alluded to earlier, which must categorically renounce terrorism and must accept the right of Israel to exist.
Within those parameters, I look forward to progress. I do not know exactly when that will happen, but I certainly look forward to progress.
Mr Speaker: Mr Gerald Giam.
Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song: Mr Speaker, I will brief. In response to the Minister’s answer to my supplementary question just now, I think we are dealing with a Catch-22 situation here. Most people will agree that an effective Palestinian government that governs the entire territory is still in the works. However, we are waiting for a viable and effective Palestinian state to exist before recognising it. It might never happen under current realities. The Minister said that one key principle guiding our actions is whether it can bring forward the peace process.
Therefore, does the Minister agree that Singapore’s recognition of Palestine will help, even in some small way, to bring forward the peace process and negotiations, or will it hurt the process?
Dr Vivian Balakrishnan: I know Mr Giam is sincere in this, but I would point out that even in his question, there are two different dimensions to it.
One, is there an effective Palestinian leadership that speaks for all and that has the mandate to negotiate? That is a separate question from is there a recognisable Palestinian state?
And without locking ourselves in prematurely, which may be unhelpful, I am saying that our long-standing position is that only a negotiated two-state solution will lead to a just, durable and comprehensive peace, and both sides must recognise the other’s right to exist and must renounce terrorism.
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. And there will be peroxisomes of wars, conflicts and horrendous humanitarian disasters which we are witnessing now.
So, I hope I have explained to everyone here, including the people, the principled position and the motivation behind our position. That is why we do not engage in polemic or in performative gestures, or making premature pronouncements – which frankly, would be unhelpful – and also, be humble enough to know, Singapore is a tiny city state far away. The Member has been there, so he knows the difficulty and complexities of the conflict.
Again, another worthwhile reminder for all of us in Singapore: this is fundamentally not our quarrel. This is a family quarrel in another family. The worst thing you can do in a family quarrel is to get involved unnecessarily or with ulterior motives, or to perform for an external audience.
So, let us remain calm, let us remain united, let us remain constructive and helpful, and hope even in this time of bleak, darkness, hope that peace will be given a chance in Palestine and that our Israeli friends and our Palestinian friends – brothers actually, the two of them – can live in peace with each other.
For Members who have accompanied me on my trips, I hope you have noticed that we actually have an unusual and unique privilege that we are welcomed by all sides. If you think about that, that is not something that you can take for granted. To be able to welcomed by all sides, including warring parties, requires a track record of principled, deliberate, careful diplomacy. It does not mean agreeing with everyone all the time, but even when we disagree with elements of other people’s programmes, other people’s agenda, they understand why we disagree and they know that we mean well and that we are good for our word and that we are helpful. So, that is the attitude by which the Government of Singapore approaches this most vexing of disputes, which has gone on for far too long.
Finally, let me again reiterate: an immediate humanitarian ceasefire and an immediate release of all hostages.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
2 July 2024
https://sprs.parl.gov.sg/search/#/sprs3topic?reportid=oral-answer-3606
Office of the Leader of the Opposition 