Question: We saw a post by the Israeli Embassy on the Israel-Hamas conflict yesterday. What are your views on it?
1. That post, on the Israeli Embassy social media page, is completely unacceptable.
2. I was very upset when I was told about it. My Ministry, MHA, spoke with MFA yesterday. And said that the embassy has to take the post down immediately. They have taken it down.
3. The post is wrong at many levels.
4. First, it is insensitive and inappropriate. It carries a risk of undermining our safety, security and harmony in Singapore.
5. We look after the safety of everyone in Singapore - Majority and minorities. That includes Muslims, Jews, who are minorities in Singapore. There is a vibrant Jewish community here, that contributes much to our community and country. Jews here have very little concern for their safety and security.
6. Posts like these can, however, inflame tensions and can put the Jewish community here at risk. The anger from the post can potentially spill over into the physical realm.
7. So, in essence, MHA had asked for the post to be taken down, and made our views very clear to the Israeli embassy, because it is unacceptable from the perspective of safety and security in Singapore.
8. Second, it is wrong to selectively point to religious texts, to make a political point. Even worse, in this current situation, for Israeli embassy to make use of the Quran for this purpose.
9. Third, this post is an astonishing attempt to re-write history. The writer of the post should look at UN resolutions, see if Israel’s actions in the past few decades have been consistent with international law, before trying to re-write history.
10. But we didn’t intervene on that basis. We told them to take it down because of the potential consequences for the different communities within Singapore. Often, embassies say and put out posts, statements, which we may disagree with. But we generally don’t intervene. Because they represent sovereign countries and they have autonomy. But where it affects the safety and security of people in Singapore, the peace and harmony that we enjoy, we do, and we will, intervene.
11. Thank you.
