Shanmugam calls Israeli embassy’s Facebook post ‘completely unacceptable’, says it undermines Singapore’s peace and harmony
The Israeli embassy in Singapore had published a post on its official Facebook account comparing mentions of Israel and Palestine in the Quran.
SINGAPORE — The Israeli embassy in Singapore has been told by the Singapore government to take down a “completely unacceptable” Facebook post on Palestine, Minister of Law and Home Affairs, K Shanmugam said on Monday (25 March).
The Israeli embassy had published a post on Sunday (24 March) on its official Facebook account with claims that compared the number of mentions of Israel and Palestine in the Quran, as well as "archaeological evidence" that Jewish people were the "indigenous people of the land".
According to CNA, Shanmugam told reporters that he was “very upset” when he was made aware of the post, which claimed that Israel had been mentioned 43 times, and Palestine not even once.
When the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) saw the post, they also informed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the latter told the embassy to take down the post immediately.
The post was later deleted.
Israeli embassy's post put Singapore’s security at risk, says Shanmugam
Remarking that the post was wrong on many levels, Shanmugam said, “First, it is insensitive and inappropriate. It carries the risk of undermining our safety, security and harmony in Singapore.”
He added that Singapore looks after the safety of all, including minorities such as Muslims and Jews, according to CNA.
“The anger from the [Israel embassy’s] post can potentially spill over into the physical realm,” said Shanmugam. He explained that such posts can “inflame tensions, and can put the Jewish community here [in Singapore] at risk”.
He said, “MHA had asked for the posts to be taken down and made our views very clear to the Israeli embassy because it is unacceptable from the perspective of safety and security in Singapore.”
The Home Affairs Minister also said that “it is wrong to selectively point to religious texts to make a political point” and that “the post was an astonishing attempt to rewrite history.”
“The writer of the post should look at [United Nation’s] regulations, see if Israel’s actions in the past few decades have been consistent with international law, before trying to rewrite history.”
Government will interfere if Singapore’s peace and harmony are under threat
CNA reported that Shanmugam stressed that the main reason for the request to take the post down is “because of the potential consequences for the different communities within Singapore”.
He said that embassies represent the sovereign countries and they may put out statements that the Singapore government disagrees with. “But where it affects the safety and security of people in Singapore, the peace and harmony that we enjoy, we do and we will intervene,” said Shanmugam.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan said in a separate statement to the media that “it is highly inappropriate to refer to sacred texts to make political points”.
“We have made this clear to the embassy, which has taken the post down,” he said.
Masagos Zulkifli, Singapore's Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs, said the Israeli embassy's post was "insensitive and disrespectful" and "goes against the spirit of mutual respect and understanding in Singapore".
In a Facebook post on Monday, Masagos said "nobody should make interpretations that are offensive to another people’s faith, especially selectively using their sacred texts, to make political points".
“Whether one is a Singaporean or foreigner in Singapore, we must not do or say anything that disrupts the social harmony that is so precious to us in Singapore," Masagos wrote. "Such insensitive and inappropriate messages can cause hurt, and sow distrust amongst different communities in Singapore.”
Masagos said he was "very upset" when he saw the post, and understood that others in the "community also felt aggrieved".
"But I urge everyone to remain calm and civil and continue to preserve the trust, peace and harmony between our communities. Let us also continue to support the humanitarian aid efforts for the civilians in Gaza, as the Government presses on for a two-state solution supported by the United Nations," Masagos wrote, referring to the ongoing conflict in Gaza and Singapore's stance on the situation between Israel and Palestine.
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