CEREMONIALLY breaking ties with countries whose actions Singapore disapproves of is neither constructive nor will it resolve the situation, said Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan in Parliament on Thursday (Feb 29).

Speaking during the debate on his ministry’s budget for the upcoming financial year, he noted that some people want Singapore to sever diplomatic ties with Israel and recall the ambassador.

Such moves, however, will not influence Israel to change its policies nor will it reduce the suffering of Palestinians.

He pointed out that none of the five Permanent Members of the UN Security Council have done so. Arab countries like Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan – all of which have diplomatic relations with Israel – have not broken off ties, and neither have Asean member states like Thailand, the Philippines and Vietnam, he added.

“We manage our international relations by remaining engaged with the international community and maintaining ties with as many countries as possible,” he said. “As a small country, this is in our national interests.”

In his speech, Dr Balakrishnan acknowledged that Israel’s military response “has gone too far”, noting that Gaza’s catastrophic situation demands an immediate humanitarian ceasefire.

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He announced that Singapore will donate a third tranche of aid for Gaza through Jordan. The Republic had sent over two tranches late last year, as well as a Singapore Armed Forces medical team last month to treat casualties from Gaza.

He stressed that Israel must comply with the laws of war and that Singapore stands firm on its support for a negotiated two-state solution.

Starting from home

The minister also spoke about how Singapore’s foreign policy depends on domestic cohesion and unity.

“Our ethnic identities, our legacies, our connections – they are still useful for maintaining friendship for establishing and expanding business connections,” he said.

“But fundamentally, even as we parlay our multilingual, multicultural, multi-religious ability, we must remember to look at issues and respond as Singaporeans first.”

He said that Singapore’s diversity is both “a defining strength and a potential source of division”.

“A variety of opinions is healthy and provides a foundation upon which we can decide as a country how to conduct ourselves. But we must be aware of how it can easily veer into discord,” he said.

Asean affairs

Also speaking during the debate was Second Minister for Foreign Affairs Maliki Osman, who gave the House an update on Singapore’s ties with neighbouring countries in the region.

Relations with Malaysia are “in good shape”, with frequent contact at the political level, he said.

Also equally robust are bilateral economic ties, said Dr Maliki, adding that the Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System Link will be operational by 2026.

Meanwhile, Singapore’s relationship with Indonesia has strengthened with regular high-level engagements.

Ties with the rest of South-east Asia are “on a good footing” as well, he said.

Singapore and Vietnam are exploring upgrading relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, said Dr Maliki.

He added that Singapore remains committed to supporting Laos in their role as this year’s chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and is stepping up its engagement to support Timor-Leste in its ambition to join the 10-member bloc.