Singapore to Sanction Israeli Settler Leaders, Signals Readiness to Recognize Palestine
- SAUDI ARABIA BREAKING NEWS
- Sep 23
- 1 min read
Singapore, Sept 23, 2025 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) – Singapore said on Monday it will impose targeted sanctions on leaders of Israeli settler groups and confirmed it would recognize a Palestinian state under the right conditions.
The announcement comes as more countries take a tougher stance against settler groups and Israeli officials accused of encouraging violence, while international recognition of Palestinian statehood continues to grow.
Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan told parliament that Singapore opposed attempts to annex parts of the West Bank or Gaza and criticized the Israeli government for pursuing settlement projects such as the E1 plan, which he said fragmented the West Bank and undermined the 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 which undermine the prospects for a two-state solution,” Balakrishnan said.
He added that Singapore considered recognition of Palestine a matter of “when, not if,” noting that the city-state was waiting for an “appropriate constellation” of factors, including the formation of an effective Palestinian government that accepts Israel’s right to exist and renounces terrorism.
“Ultimately, to resolve this long-standing conflict in a comprehensive, just and durable manner, there needs to be a negotiated settlement which results in two states, one Israeli and one Palestinian, with their peoples living alongside each other in peace, security and dignity,” he said.
Singapore has maintained close diplomatic and military ties with Israel since its independence in 1965, but in 2024 voted in favor of several UN resolutions supporting recognition of a Palestinian state.
