Singapore, US and the global order
October 21st, 2023 | 
Author: 
I read with deep concerns and a solemn mood of the Straits Times Editorials, “Singapore, US and the global order” (Oct 18) and Hamas has hurt both Israel and Palestine (Oct 12).
Foremost, let us focus upon the dreadful Palestinian-Israeli war which is globally striking.
The fuse/ignition point of the latest Palestinian-Israeli war -
In the early morning of October 7, 2023, the Palestinian armed organization led by Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel from the Gaza Strip. That morning, the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip fired more than 3,000 rockets at Israel.
At the same time, approximately 2,500 Palestinian militants broke through the Gaza-Israel separation wall, invaded Israeli territory from all directions by land, air, and sea, and massacred civilians in neighboring Israeli communities. Of which, resulting in the deaths of at least 1,200 Israelis.
In fact, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has a longstanding history. The causes are complex and coupled with the intervention of foreign forces, it is not easy to completely solve the problem in one go/attempt.
Anyway, we need to find out a crux issue: What is U.S. President Biden’s stance so far on Israel’s war in Gaza?
On 18 Oct, at a joint news conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Tel Aviv, Biden reiterated that the United States will continue to support Israel, Washington's closest ally in the Middle East.
This is despite the relentless and horrific bombing of the Al Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza for the past 12 days. And, Israeli bombings killed more than 3,300 Palestinians in response to a deadly October 7 attack by the Hamas group.
Since the Hamas attack on October 7, the US president's rhetoric has been focused on supporting Israel.
In his first speech on the day of the incident and in many subsequent conversations and statements, Biden first focused on Israel's "right to self-defense" against Hamas, which is considered a "terrorist" by Israel and its Western allies.
Therefore, we can’t stop asking the key but rational question: Does Biden call for a ceasefire?
This was not done seriously. He has failed to hold Israel accountable for its indiscriminate bombing of civilians, hospitals and schools.
Instead, President Biden continues to focus on Israel’s security. The Biden administration has provided weapons and dispatched Navy aircraft carriers to support Israel. And, the United States is concerned that regional armed groups such as Iran-backed Hezbollah may open a second front against Israel on the Israeli-Lebanese border.
Biden also avoided talking about the huge humanitarian toll caused by Israel's ongoing attacks on Gaza, which the United Nations and human rights groups have expressed serious concern about.
Unsurprisingly, India's position on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is almost identical to that of the United States.
China’s position on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is very humane, rational and different from the US and its allies.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi lately Commented on the recent situation in the Middle East, the Palestinian issue is the core of the Middle East issue, and the crux of it is that justice has never been given to the Palestinian people.
Wang Yi said that China is deeply saddened by the intensification of tensions between Palestine and Israel, which has caused a large number of civilian casualties. We oppose actions that harm civilians and condemn violations of international law.
China calls on all parties to exercise restraint and realize the situation on the ground as soon as possible in order to cool down the situation and prevent further expansion of the war.
Simultaneously, Wang Yi emphasises that the urgency is to ensure the safety of civilians, open up rescue channels and avoid a serious humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Nonetheless, The Security Council held an emergency meeting on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict this 16 October evening and voted on a Russian-led draft resolution. Because the vote did not receive at least 9 votes in favor, the draft failed to pass.
Note: The voting results of the 15 members of the Security Council are as follows:
Yes: 5 votes (China, Russia, United Arab Emirates, Gabon, Mozambique)
Against: 4 votes (United States, United Kingdom, France, Japan)
Abstention: 6 votes (Albania, Brazil, Ecuador, Ghana, Malta, Switzerland)
Singapore’s stance on the Palestinian-Israeli military conflicts, which is deemed exclusive.
As a tiny, multiracial and multi-religious country, Singapore has severely condemned Hamas militant groups launched a deadly attacks at Israel on 7 Oct morning.
Singapore’s strategic move is based on the following key considerations:
1) Singapore has always been strongly opposed to any country launching an aggressive war first, which is regardless of whatever situations or reasons, especially when a big country covets aggression against a small country.
2)For the long term survival, Singapore’s government has to formulate and implement policies and strategies of diplomacy that are most beneficial to itself.
3)It recognises and places strategic importance on its geopolitical stability.
4)Singapore is a small country without any resources, and, it has a special geographical location as Its neighboring countries are all Muslim countries. Hence, Singapore has to always maintained its friendly, harmonious, neutral and stable relations with its neighbours. Besides, Singapore absolutely opposes and does not allow any ethnicity or religious organisations to undermine the country's political stability, sovereignty and security.
Teo Kueh Liang (Mr)
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Posted in 
The attack occurred on Occupied Palestinian Land. The Zionists had built on Occupied land which is against International Law and were living on the Land. The company in India making uniforms for the Israeli police force has decided to cancel the orders in protest against the bombing of GAZA but Modi is silent.Perhaps because he is doing the same to the Muslims in India and Kashmir. He is a fanatical Hindu and wants to make India, Hindustan.The west will only support Israel because none of them wanted the Zionists in their countries and dumped them on the Palestinians. Norway,China, Russia, Iran and Turkey are the only countries that can pressure a change in this neverending war. The other pressure can be citizens protesting as in US, UK,France and other countries.This story of Israel having to protect itself from Hamas by occupying more land is running out of fuel. Israel has a world class army and an American sponsored Dome to protect itself within its own borders.It is its land grab that is causing terrorist attacks.
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@SINGAROAR
You are so correct. The Jews were displaced by the Germans when they were declared “enemy of the state” and Palestinians took them in out of pity.
However, the US poked its nose into their affairs and abetted the Jews to take over the land that originally belonged to the Palestinians, and we have Israel.
Now the US and UK is aiding and abetting Israel to invade Gaza (belonging to Palestinians) again, same modus operandi, Palestinians die not an issue because both US and UK would be making tons of money out of the war. the end justify the means, I supposed.
The US is a warmonger and they have benefitted from numerous wars, only the daft cannot see through their ploy.
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I agree with US that Israel has the right to defend itself.
I am shocked by double-standards from anti-semitic people who stir up the Palestinian issue as an excuse.
Firstly, Hamas attacked first. So Israel has the right to self-defense.
Secondly, Hamas rejected the previous two-state solution and breached all the terms. Previous offer was voided. Any agreement needs to be re-negotiated based on current realities.
E.G. property market: if buyer rejected previous offer price and market price went up, any agreement needs to be renegotiated based on current prices.
US soldiers must support Israel’s right to defend itself, if they want to join Military-Industrial-Complex in future.
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Another fear mongering opinion piece.
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@Observer
Why must US taxpayers support Israel in its land grab? They have already paid for a dome to protect Israel and have armed the Israeli Armed Forces. Now they have to pay for the invasion of GAZA? Jews in Israel who are not Zionists do not support killings of the Palestinian people They have lived together with the Arabs, Palestinians and others for centuries and thrived. This is the same as what the PAP govt. is doing. It is replacing us with a foreign population to remain in power.The Zionists are replacing the Jews that have lived there for centuries with the Zionists to hold onto power. It has nothing to do with being anti- Semitic. It is political using religion as a cover.
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Sad…no winner in war.Only suffering and more suffering…
Truth will only be know in the future….Who actually bomb the Hospital ?
Wonder where did Hamas get all the weapons including rockets ?Iran ?Turkey ?or even China ?
Who is your real friend or enemy ?
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Techie, please brush up your History knowledge before you comment above statement. I am putting up this comment to give you a chance to learn.
There is no Palestine as a country, in history.
Palestinian actually includes many people types and Jews are one of them.
Jews were considered to be part of the Palestinian population throughout history. The term “Palestinian” was commonly used to refer to anyone who lived in the geographical area of Palestine, regardless of their religion or ethnicity.
Palestine was ‘created’ by the Roman.
Please learn.
Tech: Thank you for the info, are you quoting from the bible or history? One thing is for sure, there is no such country “palestine”, so I agree that it is just a piece of land. BTW, are you denying that the germans were involved in displacing millions of Jews?
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Even Cain “fought” with Abel.
Abraham is “Father” to Israelites and Ibrahim is “Father” to the Arab-muslims.
Who is not familiar,even today,with sons foghting over “property rights” with step-brothers?
So,you see ,”polygamy” has its own inherent problem$?
Nothing new, nothing strange.
There is a war between the Devil against God.
It started in “Heaven” and continue on Earth.
Think maybe,just maybe,humans will unite wben attacked by Martians?
Who knows?
Only God knows!
Jew or Palestinians,all are brothers.
We can fight till the sky begins to fall,at the end,it is still Heaven or Hell.
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@rice
Bingo! Polygamy no good at all, maybe Polyamory instead? lol
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Then stop reading with deep concerns or paid any attention to this silly conflict. More lives will be lost if the world keeps giving both sides eyeballs and attention. This gives them the idea that they can continue to shed blood and terror in exchange for something such as leverage, aid, weapons…whatever.
Just ignore them and soon they’ll realize they are behaving like two school children fighting in an empty alley with the birds as audience.
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Just a quick education, bible IS actually a HISTORY book. And like any history, it may be changed or altered over a period of time. So thus I am indifferent to bible or history, whichever anyone calls it.
There have been multiple events in Jewish history where they were forced to leave or were expelled from their residing places. What german did was only a recent era example [Thus, I did not say german not involved in displacing the jews]. Russian (USSR) did the same too, prior voting in favor of UN Resolution 181 – partition Palestine into two states, one Arab and one Jewish.
Please note: the word is Arab & Jewish, not Palestinian & Jewish.
In fact, Res 181 was preparing independence for both states.
Unfortunately, the Arab (in Gaza & West Bank) refused. It was no Jewish or no deal.
Thus when Jews happily declared and celebrated their independence, Gaza (from Egypt) and West Bank (from Jordan) started the war.
After they (Arabs) lose the war, the previously larger strip of Gaza and West Bank was reduced with Israeli occupation. The cost for a lose war.
Earlier, I was referring to your remark of ‘Palestinians took them (Jews) in out of pity.’ Which was a misleading piece of ‘idea’. There were existing Jewish communities living among the Arabs for thousands of years in the historical Palestinian region, which, Palestinian includes Jews.
It is interesting to note that jewish community was generally exclusive to themselves throughout the history (I am not sure if it is still the case now, I did not have Jewish friends). Such community is not surprised to invite suspicious attention to outsiders.
In any case, the above is overly simplified to tell the grievances among them.
Anyone interested should try to read up more from both sides and UN documents too.
The Allies won the world wars, there were contributing factors involving Jewish behind the scene.
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@2Daft2Live:
It is not a silly conflict. War will raise our costs of living. It affects all of us.
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1) Singapore has always been strongly opposed to any country launching an aggressive war first, which is regardless of whatever situations or reasons, especially when a big country covets aggression against a small country.
You forgot Singapore was part of the coalition that invaded Iraq and killed a million or more.
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To get the correct context of the epoch, you can combine the Bible with Google, Wikipedia, Flavia Josephus, Zhang Qian.
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Is Israel the largest economy in the world? Is it a food basket like Ukraine? Is it a major oil exporter?
Don’t believe in scares or promises, test them out.
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“Holy Crap.”
bible IS actually a HISTORY book. haha
“Journey to the West” is also a HISTORY book.
“Macbeth” is also a HISTORY book.
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atomic bomb has been use b4.
There’s no such thing as history.
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