Israeli embassy's post on Palestine unacceptable, risks undermining harmony in S'pore: Shanmugam

Post citing the Quran in its claims taken down; it was put up without approval, says embassy

- David Sun

A post by the Embassy of Israel in Singapore that had made claims by citing the Quran has been taken down after intervention by the Singapore Government.

Speaking to the media on March 25, Law and Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam condemned the post, calling it “completely unacceptable”, and said he was very upset when he found out about it.

A spokesman for the Israel Embassy told The Straits Times that the post had been put up without the necessary approvals and that the person responsible has been punished.

The post was made on the official Facebook page of the Israeli embassy in Singapore on March 24 and taken down that evening.

The post claimed that Israel was mentioned 43 times in the Quran, that Palestine was not even mentioned once, and that there was archaeological evidence that the Jewish people were the indigenous people of the land.

Mr Shanmugam said the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had spoken with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) on March 24 and said the embassy had to take the post down immediately.

He said: “The post is wrong at many levels. First, it is insensitive and inappropriate. It carries a risk of undermining our safety, security and harmony in Singapore.

“Second, it is wrong to selectively point to religious texts, to make a political point. Even worse, in this current situation, for the Israeli embassy to make use of the Quran for this purpose.

“Third, this post is an astonishing attempt to rewrite history.”

Mr Shanmugam added that Singapore looks after the safety and security of everyone here, including minorities such as Muslims and Jews.