SINGAPORE: Marking one year since the Jewish assault on Palestine that claimed over 42, 000 life, on 7 October 2024, pro-Palestinian followers from Punggol West gathered at a Meet-the-People Conference to explore restrictions against Israel with MP Sun Xueling.
Mr Sun highlighted Singapore’s charitable efforts, noting that over S$ 17 million ( about US$ 13 million ) had been directed to the area. She called the issue a “huge people crisis” and advocated for an instant peace.
People of Singapore, who cited the order of Blue Spear weapons for the Navy and the screen of Israeli arms at the Singapore Air Show, questioned the viability of a peace. Additionally, they made mention of Elbit Systems, an Israeli defence company, in Singapore.
Although Ms Sun was never involved in hands debate, she promised to lift these problems with the important departments.
Mr. Leong Mun Wai, a Non-Constituency Member of Parliament (NCMP ) from the Progress Singapore Party, inquired to the Minister for Foreign Affairs on July 2, 2024, as to whether Singapore had ever sold any defense products to Israel since the conflict first erupted on October 7, 2023.
Dr. Vivian Balakrishnan, the chancellor, responded that Singapore complies with international arms sales commitments and publishes regular reports to the UN, but that it does not disclose specifics for security reasons. There is no sanctions on selling weapons to Israel, it should be noted.
On 18 September 2024, Singapore voted in favour of UN General Assembly Resolution A/ES-10/L. 31 called for a ban on imports from Jewish settlements and weapons to Israel in instances where they might be used in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. Following this, NCMP Leong filed a problem regarding whether Singapore may utilize the deal’s ways.
Residents cited Israel’s floor invasion of Lebanon and Syria and questioned whether restrictions were being taken into account as the program progressed into a larger conflict.
Ms. Sun reaffirmed that the Gaza crisis was unethical and acknowledged their fears.
When asked about sanctions, she explained that the Israel-Palestine conflict is more complex than other international issues like the Russia-Ukraine conflict, but she assured residents that she would communicate their concerns to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs ( MFA ).
Citizens voiced doubt over Israel’s decision to invade Lebanon and raise questions about the perception that there are two ways of treating Middle Eastern invasions when compared to those involving mostly white nations.
Ms. Sun emphasized that restrictions are not based on race, and that Singapore had previously imposed restrictions in other situations, such as during the US’s invasion of Grenada and Vietnam’s conquest of Cambodia.
They also made a point about the inconsistent nature of Singapore’s strategy, noting that it only forged diplomatic relations with South Africa after the end of apartheid.
Ms. Sun promised to bring these instances up with the MFA despite admitting that she only knew a little about this story.
Residents who signed a petition asking the government to impose sanctions on Israel at the conclusion of the program signed it.
Netizens expressed their opinions on the latest discussion between Punggol West people and MP Sun Xueling regarding Singapore’s position on Israel in a post from Monday of Palestine Solidarity on Instagram.
One customer questioned Ms Sun’s knowledge of the situation in Palestine, asking,” Is she even aware of what’s happening at all”?
They claimed that while Ms. Sun claimed the fight had a different scope than the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Palestine’s situation is much worse.
The users criticized her for not using correct terms to describe the issue, suggesting she was avoiding conditions like “mass death”, “apartheid”, “genocide”, and “ethnic annihilation”.
The poster even pointed out historic perspective, referencing a New York Times article from June 20, 1899, titled” Conference of Zionists in Baltimore: Will Colonize Palestine”, to highlight the long-standing nature of the issue.
They concluded by stating,” Charitable support does NOT prevent the killing”, highlighting the need for stronger action.
Another person expressed anger, calling the president’s response “absolutely unacceptable”.
They criticized Singapore for offering only humanitarian assistance and failing to take significant actions against Israel while being one of the major manufacturers of arms, which are “being used and tested on Palestinians”.
One commentator pointed out the disparity in Singapore’s reaction, noting that no similar motion had been taken against Israel after a year of conflict in Palestine, but that the government had soon sanctioned Russia when the conflict in Ukraine broke out.
Another users criticized the common misconception that the Israel-Palestine issue is a “lazy reason for inaction,” calling it an “old question” that has lasted for a long time.
They argued that Israel has violated international law ever since the 1967 era of segregation and its illegal activity of Palestine.
Some people expressed suspicion about Singapore’s ability to take a stronger position. One commentator claimed that Singapore depends on its Zionist allies for safety, arguing that any attack on Israel could endanger the nation’s security.
They pointed to the historic relationships between Singapore and Israel, especially in building Singapore’s war, and concluded that speaking out against Israel would harm Singapore’s security and stability.
