SINGAPORE: Singapore will impose targeted financial sanctions and entry bans with immediate effect on four Israeli men for their involvement in "egregious acts of extremist violence" against Palestinians in the West Bank.
The four Israeli individuals are: Meir Mordechai Ettinger, Elisha Yered, Ben-Zion Gopstein and Baruch Marzel.
Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said on Friday (Nov 21) that the men's actions are "unlawful and undermine and jeopardise prospects for a two-state solution".
"Singapore reiterates its view that Israeli settlements in the West Bank are illegal under international law. Their presence and expansion will make it much harder to arrive at a viable two-state solution," it added.
The ministry said that as a firm supporter of international law and the two-state solution, Singapore opposes any unilateral attempts to change facts on the ground through acts that are illegal under international law.
"We call on the Israeli government to restrain acts of settler violence and to hold the perpetrators accountable."
Singapore's Minister for Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan said in parliament in September that Singapore would impose targeted sanctions on the leaders of radical right-wing settler groups or organisations responsible for acts of violence against Palestinians in the West Bank.
He said that sanctions should not be assumed to make a major difference on the ground, and that the larger point of sanctions was to express Singapore's disapproval.
"It's often more a statement of principle and expression of disapproval. I wouldn't bank that, historically, any set of sanctions has been decisive in its own way," Dr Balakrishnan said.
"I'm not saying that we entered into sanctions lightly. It is, for us, a major statement, but I don't want to overstate its impact."
Continue reading...
The four Israeli individuals are: Meir Mordechai Ettinger, Elisha Yered, Ben-Zion Gopstein and Baruch Marzel.
Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said on Friday (Nov 21) that the men's actions are "unlawful and undermine and jeopardise prospects for a two-state solution".
"Singapore reiterates its view that Israeli settlements in the West Bank are illegal under international law. Their presence and expansion will make it much harder to arrive at a viable two-state solution," it added.
The ministry said that as a firm supporter of international law and the two-state solution, Singapore opposes any unilateral attempts to change facts on the ground through acts that are illegal under international law.
"We call on the Israeli government to restrain acts of settler violence and to hold the perpetrators accountable."
Singapore's Minister for Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan said in parliament in September that Singapore would impose targeted sanctions on the leaders of radical right-wing settler groups or organisations responsible for acts of violence against Palestinians in the West Bank.
He said that sanctions should not be assumed to make a major difference on the ground, and that the larger point of sanctions was to express Singapore's disapproval.
"It's often more a statement of principle and expression of disapproval. I wouldn't bank that, historically, any set of sanctions has been decisive in its own way," Dr Balakrishnan said.
"I'm not saying that we entered into sanctions lightly. It is, for us, a major statement, but I don't want to overstate its impact."
Continue reading...