Vivian Balakrishnan on Israel-Hamas conflict

Singapore must not allow external political events, painful as they are, to divide its people, said Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan. He urged Singaporeans to be sympathetic, compassionate, helpful and speak the truth but "not to pour oil on the fire”. Speaking in Parliament on Monday (Nov 6), he pointed out that the Israel-Hamas conflict is “not our quarrel” and urged Singaporeans to be very wary of how they reflect their compassion, principles and values, and understand that strong emotions are engaged. “But we must not fall prey to what we see in other countries where strong emotions have led to violent clashes, to hate speech and to exclusion,” he said. Dr Balakrishnan said Singapore’s religious and racial harmony is very precious. “We must not allow anything to break this or split our society. And it is heartening that so many of our faith and community leaders strongly feel this, say this and operate on this basis,” he said. The Muslim community, in particular, has responded in a very restrained and responsible manner, he added. Dr Balakrishnan also pointed out that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is “not a religious conflict”. At its core, the conflict has always been about territory, self-determination and identity, complicated by intra-Palestinian and intra-Israeli domestic politics, he said. This provides fertile ground for extremists on both sides to misuse religion to further their political aims. “And we must not fall into their trap,” he said. Dr Balakrishnan said the conflict is also a reminder to all Singaporeans that the country’s national interests are at stake. “We must reject terrorism in all its forms,” he said. “If attacked, all of us here must give the Government of the day the ability to exercise the right of self-defence. But even when it does so, we will expect the Government of the day to uphold international law,” he added. Dr Balakrishnan stressed the need for Singapore to support the peaceful resolution of disputes. He said Singapore’s ability to conduct a consistent and coherent foreign policy in a very volatile and dangerous world depends on domestic cohesion and consensus to uphold the principles which are essential for the country’s survival. Dr Balakrishnan also stressed the need for military action to comply with the laws of war, in line with moral values and legal principles. Any alleged violation of international humanitarian law in the conflict should therefore be investigated in accordance with international law, said Dr Balakrishnan. He said Singapore will support the investigation of all allegations. He also reiterated the call for humanitarian assistance to reach the affected civilian populations immediately.