Singaporean activists call for the halt of arms trade with Israel amid allegations of genocide in Palestine

SINGAPORE: On Monday evening, a group of Singaporean activists staged a peaceful demonstration at the iconic Gardens by the Bay, advocating for an immediate cessation of arms trade with Israel.

This comes in the wake of severe allegations of genocide by Israeli forces in Gaza, as claimed by the South African Government at the International Court of Justice and the continued massacre of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank.

The local activists, who convened at 7:15 pm at the Skyway in Gardens by the Bay, expressed their solidarity with the global initiative, A15, which has called for an economic blockade in 50 cities worldwide.

Their aim is to draw attention to what they describe as the global economy’s indifference to ongoing human rights abuses.

According to the demonstrators, over the last six months, the conflict has resulted in over 33,000 Palestinian deaths and more than 75,000 injuries, with widespread destruction across Gaza’s infrastructure, including hospitals and schools.

Reports from organizations like Doctors Without Borders indicate severe restrictions on medical supplies and attacks on aid workers, exacerbating the crisis.

The group criticized the Singaporean government’s continued engagement in arms trade with Israel, highlighting that between 2018 and 2022, Singapore imported approximately US$73 million worth of military equipment from Israel, making it the tenth largest customer of Israeli defense products.

The demonstrators pointed out that such dealings undermine Singapore’s humanitarian contributions to Palestine and perpetuate the violence they are intended to alleviate.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has previously expressed concern over the Palestinian plight and supported U.N. resolutions for a ceasefire and humanitarian aid. However, the protestors argue that these measures fall short as long as Singapore continues its arms trade with Israel.

The activists called on Lawrence Wong, the incoming prime minister, to leverage his upcoming leadership transition on 15 May as an opportunity to redefine Singapore’s stance on this issue.

They stressed that ending arms trade with Israel would align with the moral and ethical concerns of the Singaporean people, as outlined in numerous communications with government officials, including emails, letters, and online campaigns.

The demonstration also highlighted the challenges faced by Singaporeans in exercising their rights to freedom of speech and assembly, citing the restrictive nature of the Public Order Act.

Under this legislation, even small, peaceful gatherings — such as an one-man protest — without a police permit can be considered unlawful, attracting fines of fined up to S$5,000 (US$3,657).

The statement also pointed out that members of the public had tried to organize peaceful and lawful demonstrations at Hong Lim Park, only to be told that the authorities would deny even this severely restricted right to freedom of assembly.

“We have no choice but to escalate our efforts to draw attention to our urgent demands. You cannot ignore us now,” wrote the activists.

As of now, there has been no official response from the police regarding the demonstration, and the event has not been covered by mainstream media in Singapore, where civil liberties are often tightly regulated.

The demonstrators ended their gathering with a call for global solidarity and an end to all forms of oppression, stating, “We are not free until Palestine is free.”

This incident comes at a time when international scrutiny of Israel’s actions in Gaza has intensified, and global calls for accountability and an end to the violence continue to grow.

The full statement can be seen on the petition put up on Change.org.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Singaporeans for Palestine 🇵🇸 (@sgpforpalestine48)