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Singapore minister Vivian Balakrishnan’s visit to Palestinian territories a ‘visible gesture’ by city state
- The foreign minister is on a Middle East tour that has included stops in Qatar and Jordan, where Singapore’s third tranche of aid for Gaza arrived on Sunday
- His visit to the Palestinian territories comes as the city state becomes ‘more vocal on the excessiveness of Israel’s behaviour’, observers say
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Singapore Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan’s visit to the Palestinian territories is a “visible gesture” by the city state as it becomes increasingly vocal on Israel’s actions, analysts say.
The minister has been on a tour of the Middle East, where he last week met counterparts from Jordan and Qatar, and reiterated Singapore’s call for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza and the unconditional release of all hostages.
“If that can be achieved, then a whole flood of humanitarian assistance can reach the civilians in Gaza, and the best way of doing this would be through a ground-based route,” Balakrishnan earlier said.
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His delegation met officials from the Palestinian Authority on Monday in Ramallah, with the Singapore minister telling media that both sides had “very candid discussions”, and that while there was mutual respect, “it doesn’t mean we have to agree on everything”.
Analysts who spoke to This Week in Asia have noted a subtle shift in Singapore’s approach to the war since it first broke out last October, citing domestic pressure and a bid to align itself with neighbours in Southeast Asia.
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