SINGAPORE: Members of a pro-Palestinian coalition have announced plans to begin a symbolic hunger strike this weekend, protesting what they describe as the Singapore government’s complicity in the ongoing genocide in Gaza.
In an Instagram post on 6 October, the group SG Hunger Strike 4 Gaza (SGHS4G) said the action would be carried out “in solidarity with Palestinians suffering a devastating famine manufactured by Israel.”
The coalition accused the government of taking a “cowardly position” on the genocide and illegal occupation of Palestine, outlining three core demands: to stop funding genocide, to stand on the right side of history, and to stop persecuting pro-Palestine solidarity.
Stop Funding Genocide
The group called on the government to end all military, economic, and academic ties with Israel and institutions that, in its view, fund or supply genocide.
It demanded an immediate arms embargo and economic sanctions, citing Singapore’s position as the 17th largest purchaser of Israeli goods, including arms and surveillance technologies.
The coalition argued that Singapore should not “hide behind its small country status” when taxpayer funds allegedly contribute to Israel’s military actions.
Stand on the Right Side of History
The movement urged Singapore to impose political and diplomatic consequences on what it termed “genocidal entities” and to join regional and international efforts to end Israel’s siege of Gaza.
They said that, given Singapore’s own experience with British colonisation and Japanese occupation, it should identify more closely with Palestinians under occupation rather than with “the rogue state of Israel.”
The group added that fundraising and humanitarian aid were “meaningless” without political sanctions.
It was noted that the latest tranche of humanitarian assistance was delivered by the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), with the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) airdropping 14.9 tonnes of humanitarian supplies into Gaza.
Stop Persecuting Pro-Palestine Solidarity
The coalition also demanded that the government lift restrictions on civil liberties and freedom of expression, and end the alleged use of Israeli spyware and surveillance technologies by local authorities.
It accused the government of targeting activists who call for an end to global violence, saying that repression “only reminds us that Palestine is an issue of global liberation.”
Detailed Demands Across Sectors
The group outlined a series of proposed actions across the military, economic, academic, political, and civil sectors to end Singapore’s alleged complicity in Israel’s actions.
Military Ties
The coalition said Singapore has maintained close cooperation with the Israel Occupation Forces (IOF) since independence, relying on Israeli military advice and technology.
In Parliament on 22 September, Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan stated that Singapore “will not be held hostage by our defence ties with Israel.”
However, the group argued that continued cooperation with a “rogue state” casts doubt on this claim.
The group called on the government to:
- Impose a full arms and strategic goods embargo on Israel
- End the purchase and use of Israeli arms and technologies
- Terminate investments in Israeli arms development
- End all military cooperation with the IOF
- Bar Israeli companies from participating in local military showcases
Economic Ties
Citing a 2021 government report, the group noted that foreign direct investment from Israel totalled S$3.9 billion, while Singapore’s direct investment abroad to Israel stood at S$2.9 billion.
They argued that maintaining such economic ties makes Singapore complicit in what a United Nations report termed an “economy of genocide.”
Their economic demands include:
- Imposing a full trade embargo on Israel
- Barring port access to ships transporting Israeli goods
- Divesting Temasek Holdings from companies complicit in genocide
- Restricting companies listed by the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement
- Holding corporate executives criminally liable under international law
Academic Ties
The coalition accused Israeli universities of contributing to the oppression of Palestinians through the development of weapons and surveillance systems, noting that Gaza’s universities have been destroyed as part of what they called “scholasticide.”
Despite this, they said Singaporean universities continue to maintain exchanges and research partnerships with Israeli institutions.
They demanded that universities:
- End all research and exchange programmes with Israeli institutions
- Bar public figures and companies supportive of Israel’s actions from campus platforms
- Refuse sponsorships and donations from entities complicit in the genocide
Political Pressure
While acknowledging that Singapore has condemned Israel’s actions, the group argued that the government has yet to take concrete diplomatic steps.
They urged Singapore to fulfil its international obligations by imposing political sanctions on Israel and its officials, including:
- Recognising the State of Palestine and its right to self-determination
- Closing the Israeli embassy and expelling its diplomats
- Calling for Israel’s expulsion from the United Nations
- Summoning the Israeli ambassador for questioning
- Enforcing International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrants for Israeli leaders Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant
Anti-Imperialist Regional and Global Solidarity
The coalition called on Singapore to follow the lead of Malaysia and Indonesia, which have taken diplomatic and material action against Israel.
It urged the government to end what it described as Singapore’s “allyship with a rogue colonial project” and instead join global efforts to end the genocide.
The group demanded that Singapore join and support the following efforts:
- Join Malaysia and Indonesia in The Hague Group and implement the measures outlined during their conference in Bogotá. Formed on 31 January 2025, The Hague Group was established to take “coordinated legal and diplomatic measures” against Israel’s violations of international law.
- Sign the Uniting for Peace resolution at the United Nations, which bypasses the United States’ veto power to demand arms embargoes and sanctions on Israel.
- Join Spain, Italy, and Turkey in providing naval assistance to future iterations of the Gaza Freedom Flotilla.
- Condemn the kidnapping, abuse, attacks, and killings of past flotilla participants.
Police Suppression and Civil Liberties
The coalition accused authorities of using intimidation and criminalisation tactics against pro-Palestinian activism, citing investigations into peaceful actions such as letter deliveries, shoe memorials, and kite-flying events.
They demanded that the government:
- End all police investigations and charges related to peaceful dissent
- Repeal the blanket ban on pro-Palestine events, including those at Hong Lim Park
- Revoke the Public Order Act (2009) and the Maintenance of Racial Harmony Act (2025), which they said have been used to silence dissent
Surveillance Concerns
The group further alleged that Singapore has purchased Israeli surveillance tools, including Cellebrite’s Universal Forensic Extraction Device (UFED), and may have used spyware against politicians and activists.
They called on the government and the Internal Security Department (ISD) to:
- Publicly address allegations regarding Israeli spyware
- Provide transparency on surveillance operations
- End ties with Israeli spyware and cloud service providers, including Pegasus, Cellebrite, and Oracle
Public Engagement
The group encouraged the public to follow updates on their hunger strike through their Telegram channel.
They also said they would maintain a counter to track how many of their live streams and social media accounts are taken down during the course of the protest.
View this post on InstagramA post shared by SG Hunger Strike 4 Gaza (@sghungerstrike4gaza)
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