Singapore has announced that it will impose targeted sanctions on leaders of illegal Israeli settler groups and affirmed its intention to recognise a Palestinian state under the right conditions.
On Monday, Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan told parliament that Singapore opposed Israel’s settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank, warning that projects such as the so-called E1 plan risked fragmenting occupied Palestinian territories and undermining prospects for a two-state solution.
“We call on the Israeli government to cease settlement construction and expansion. We oppose ongoing attempts to create new facts on the ground that undermine the prospects for a two-state solution,” he said.
Balakrishnan confirmed that details of the sanctions would be released at a later date.
‘It is a matter of when, not if.’
On Palestinian statehood, he stressed that recognition was inevitable but must be timed to support peace efforts: “It is a matter of when, not if. But there must be an appropriate constellation of factors, including an effective Palestinian government that accepts Israel’s right to exist.”
He added that “ultimately, to resolve this long-standing conflict in a comprehensive, just, and durable manner, there needs to be a negotiated settlement that results in two states, one Israeli and one Palestinian, with their peoples living alongside each other in peace, security, and dignity.”
Most of the international community considers Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank illegal under international law. Israel disputes this, citing historical and biblical ties and arguing that the settlements enhance its security.
Singapore has maintained close diplomatic and military ties with Israel since gaining independence in 1965.
Yet in 2024, the city-state voted in favour of multiple UN resolutions supporting recognition of a Palestinian state, reflecting a gradual shift in tone amid growing global frustration with settlement violence and stalled peace talks.
