As Singapore gears up for its next general election, speculated to be in May, the government is facing increasing scrutiny over its continued relationship with Israel amid the ongoing war in Gaza.
The conflict, which has resulted in over 48,500 deaths since October 2023, has become a defining issue in global politics, influencing election outcomes in countries such as the United Kingdom.
In the UK, voter dissatisfaction with the government—seen as too supportive of Israel despite its military actions in Gaza—contributed to the downfall of the ruling Conservatives.
Pro-Palestinian independent candidates unseated Labour MPs by campaigning solely on the promise of speaking out against the UK’s support for Israel.
Their campaigns focused exclusively on Gaza, with no other policy priorities, demonstrating the intensity of voter frustration on the issue.
While Labour won the election, it lost five seats—four to independents and one to the Conservatives—due to pro-Gaza platforms. In areas with a high proportion of Muslim voters, the party performed poorly.
In Leicester South, Shockat Adam declared, “This is for Gaza,” as he won the seat by 979 votes.
Prior to his candidacy, Adam had never been a member of a political party nor had a public social media presence. His victory stemmed from grassroots activism against Labour’s stance on the Israel-Gaza war.
Jeremy Corbyn, the former Labour Party leader who was ousted over his stance on Israel, also won as an independent, securing a decisive 49.2% of the vote against Labour’s 34.4%.
With Singapore’s government maintaining close ties with Israel, concerns are growing over how Muslim voters—and others sympathetic to the Palestinian cause—will respond at the ballot box, similar to what occurred in the UK election.
Government’s cautious stance under scrutiny
Singapore has historically supported a two-state solution and has voted in favour of UN resolutions calling for a ceasefire and increased humanitarian aid to Gaza.
However, its continued diplomatic and military ties with Israel have drawn criticism, particularly as global outrage over Israel’s military actions intensifies.
While Israel was once a key ally for many Western nations, it now faces growing isolation on the world stage. In recent UN resolutions, ten or fewer countries have consistently supported Israel, cementing its status as a pariah state.
In Parliament, Progress Singapore Party (PSP) NCMP Leong Mun Wai has twice questioned Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan about Singapore’s arms sales to Israel and whether Singaporean-made weapons have been used in Palestine.
Both times, Balakrishnan sidestepped the question, stating only that Singapore adheres to international obligations and UN embargoes—despite the fact that no international embargo on arms sales to Israel exists.
The lack of transparency on Singapore’s military ties with Israel has fuelled speculation and dissatisfaction among critics who argue that more should be done to distance Singapore from Israel’s ongoing military campaign.
Controversy over school lessons on the Gaza conflict
The government’s handling of the Gaza issue had previously came under fire in schools.
In early 2024, the Ministry of Education (MOE) introduced a special Character and Citizenship Education (CCE) lesson on the Israel-Gaza war.
However, instead of clarifying the conflict, the lesson sparked backlash from parents who felt it oversimplified the issue, omitting crucial historical and political complexities.
The matter was raised in Parliament in April 2024, with PSP’s Hazel Poa and Leong Mun Wai requesting that MOE release the lesson materials publicly.
Education Minister Chan Chun Sing refused, arguing that slides alone could be misinterpreted without proper context and that concerned parents should approach teachers directly for explanations.
This response was met with disappointment from some MPs, who questioned the lack of transparency.
The episode highlighted a broader issue: the government’s reluctance to openly discuss the Israel-Palestine conflict in detail, possibly out of concern that vocal support for Palestine could be perceived as support for Hamas under Singapore’s strict speech laws.
Balancing diplomatic ties with voter sentiment
Despite Israel’s increasing isolation in international politics, Singapore has continued its economic and military ties with the country.
Speaking at the Committee of Supply debate in March, Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan said:
“It has been difficult for aid to reach the people in Gaza for a combination of reasons. First, the Israelis have been very strict because they want to make sure that there is no dual-use equipment getting through the convoys. Second, you would have seen videos—the convoys get mobbed the moment they cross over because there is chaos and no security. And it is very dangerous.”
“We ourselves, as Minister Ng Eng Hen has emphasised, have considered how we can even deploy medical or humanitarian facilities, but it is not possible to do so safely. So, what we can do is to continue to impress upon the Israelis that it is in their own interest to facilitate aid deliveries. But I am afraid that they have prioritised their security and other considerations over that. I note that even in the last few days, there have been further hurdles to the delivery of assistance. To the extent that our voice is heard, we will add to that chorus that says it is in Israel’s interest to make sure aid flows to the people who need help.”
In the same debate, Second Minister for Foreign Affairs Maliki Osman noted that some Singaporeans have called for the Republic to go beyond providing humanitarian assistance to Gaza. However, he stated that “the Government feels this is not the most productive approach.”
Instead, Singapore believes in keeping lines of communication open to engage rather than isolate any party.
Dr Maliki added that Singapore’s approach to foreign policy has been consistent and longstanding. He said: “We act based on what is in our national interests. It is not about choosing one side over another.”
However, international bodies have testified that Israel has deliberately restricted aid into Gaza as a means to starve the population.
A United Nations (UN) report released on Thursday stated that Israel’s systematic attacks on women’s sexual and reproductive healthcare facilities in Gaza amount to “genocidal acts.”
The UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory reported that Israeli forces carried out systematic attacks by preventing “humanitarian assistance, including the provision of necessary medication and equipment to ensure safe pregnancies, deliveries, and post-partum and neonatal care.”
Other forms of sexual and gender-based violence, including rape and violence to the genitals, were committed either under explicit orders or with implicit encouragement by Israel’s top civilian and military leadership, the report said.
Commission Chair Navi Pillay said, “The evidence collected by the Commission reveals a deplorable increase in sexual and gender-based violence.”
“There is no escape from the conclusion that Israel has employed sexual and gender-based violence against Palestinians to terrorize them and perpetuate a system of oppression that undermines their right to self-determination,” she added.
The commission also reported that many Palestinian women had died due to pregnancy and childbirth-related complications, stating that Israel’s deliberate destruction of essential healthcare facilities constitutes a crime against humanity of extermination.
While the Singaporean government has called for humanitarian aid to be facilitated into Gaza, critics argue that this is insufficient given the scale of devastation inflicted on Palestinian civilians and Israel’s deliberate obstruction of aid deliveries.
Some have called for Singapore to cut ties with Israel, suspend military cooperation, and take stronger diplomatic action—similar to the measures imposed by Singapore against the Russian government over the Russia-Ukraine war.
The contrast between Singapore’s sanctions on Russia and its inaction on Israel has led to accusations of inconsistency in applying foreign policy principles.
Critics argue that the government’s statements on supporting humanitarian aid are intended to assure Muslim voters that it is taking action, while in reality, it is not doing enough to pressure the Israeli administration.
Unlike countries that have suspended arms deals or imposed trade restrictions, Singapore has yet to take any punitive measures against Israel.
Citizens who felt strongly about the suffering of Palestinians took it upon themselves to raise the matter with Members of Parliament over the past months, urging them to escalate the issue to the government.
However, the response from MPs has been lacklustre, if not dismissive. A more recent case involved the Minister for Home Affairs and Law confronting members of a group who dared to raise the issue at his Meet-the-People session, turning the encounter into a media spectacle.
The People’s Action Party later issued a statement condemning the activists’ behaviour at 14 of their MPs’ MPS.
The challenge for the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) is managing this delicate balance without alienating its traditional voter base.
The Malay-Muslim community has historically supported the PAP, but dissatisfaction over its cautious stance on Gaza could shift political loyalties, particularly among younger voters who are more engaged in global humanitarian issues.
The UK elections serve as a warning: politicians who failed to take a strong stance on Gaza faced electoral backlash, with independent candidates winning seats by promising to advocate for Palestinian rights.
While Singapore’s political landscape differs significantly, this trend signals that Gaza is no longer just a foreign policy issue—it is a voter concern.
Potential electoral impact
While foreign policy has rarely been a decisive factor in Singaporean elections, the emotional weight of the Gaza crisis could influence voter sentiment, particularly among Muslims and younger demographics.
The PAP’s calculated approach—criticising Israel’s military actions with mild comments such as calling them “gone too far,” while maintaining diplomatic ties—may not be enough to satisfy voters seeking stronger action against the atrocities continuing in Gaza.
Whether the PAP’s cautious approach will hold or if voter frustration translates into a shift in electoral support remains to be seen in the upcoming polls.
However, due to Singapore’s restrictions on speech—where the authorities perceive the Gaza conflict as a racially and religiously sensitive issue, particularly within the Muslim community—the PAP may not fully gauge the extent of dissatisfaction until the last moment.
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