Singapore to sanction leaders of Israeli settler groups

Singapore said on Monday that it will impose targeted sanctions on leaders of Israeli settler groups.

Singapore's Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, speaking in parliament, condemned Israeli politicians who have spoken about annexing parts of the occupied West Bank or Gaza. 

"We call on the Israeli government to cease settlement construction and expansion," he said, citing the E1 settlement project which Israel recently approved. 

"We oppose ongoing attempts to create new facts on the ground which undermine the prospects for a two-state solution."

More details on the sanctions would be released at a later date, he said.

Balakrishnan added that it was a matter of when not if Singapore recognises a Palestinian state and that the nation is waiting for an "appropriate constellation" of factors. 

"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.

While Singapore and Israel have shared close diplomatic and military ties over the decades, the city-state in 2024 voted in favour of numerous resolutions expressing support for UN recognition of a Palestinian state.

Reporting by Reuters