United Nations High-Level Conference for the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution, 28 to 30 July 2025

     Deputy Secretary (Asia-Pacific) Kevin Cheok delivered Singapore’s National Statement at the High-Level Conference for the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution at the United Nations in New York on 29 July 2025.

 

     The Conference was co-chaired by the French Republic and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

 

     The full text of the National Statement is at Annex.

 

 

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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

SINGAPORE

30 JULY 2025

 

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Annex

 

NATIONAL STATEMENT BY DEPUTY SECRETARY (ASIA-PACIFIC) KEVIN CHEOK AT THE UNITED NATIONS HIGH-LEVEL CONFERENCE FOR THE PEACEFUL SETTLEMENT OF THE QUESTION OF PALESTINE AND THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE TWO-STATE SOLUTION IN NEW YORK, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, FROM 28 TO 30 JULY 2025

 

Your Excellencies,

 

1            Let me begin by thanking the co-chairs, France and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, for convening this important meeting to galvanise support for the implementation of the two-state solution. Allow me to also thank all the co-chairs of the various working groups for their hard work.

 

2            What we are witnessing in Gaza today is heartbreaking. The denial of humanitarian aid is causing starvation and a dire lack of essential medical services. The reports of people being shot whilst desperately trying to access food are shocking. This is unconscionable and a violation of international humanitarian law. We call on the Israeli government to immediately lift all restrictions on the delivery of urgently needed humanitarian assistance. The United Nations (UN) and humanitarian NGOs must be allowed to resume their humanitarian mission unimpeded. We must do all we can to prevent a further loss of life on both sides. In this regard, Singapore reiterates its call for an immediate ceasefire. We also call on Hamas to release all the remaining hostages immediately and unconditionally.

 

3            Singapore remains committed to help alleviate the humanitarian suffering in Gaza. To date, Singapore has contributed over USD17 million in monetary and in-kind assistance. We have worked with our regional partners, as well as organisations like the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), to do what we can to help. Looking ahead, we are considering the deployment of a medical team to the region to help treat patients from Gaza. In the longer term, we are prepared to contribute to the reconstruction of Gaza once a permanent ceasefire agreement is reached. In this context, we support the Arab Reconstruction Plan and its vision for reconstruction in Gaza as proposed by Egypt.

 

4            Singapore also remains committed to supporting the Palestinian Authority’s capacity-building efforts through our USD7 million Enhanced Technical Assistance Package. As part of this effort, we have increased the number of scholarships for Palestinians to study in Singapore universities. We will also launch two new initiatives next year. First, we will collaborate with Japan to train Palestinian Civil Police officers in community policing. Second, we will launch a new Young Leaders Programme to share our experiences in public administration and governance. We hope that these efforts will help prepare Palestinians for their eventual statehood.

 

5            Singapore has consistently supported the right of the Palestinians to their own homeland based on a negotiated two-state solution, consistent with the relevant UNSC resolutions. We firmly believe that this is the only viable pathway to achieving a comprehensive, just, and durable solution to this longstanding conflict. To this end, we are prepared in principle to recognise the State of Palestine. The key consideration is that such a move should help progress towards peace and a negotiated two-state solution. There must be an effective Palestinian government in place, that also categorically renounces terrorism and accepts Israel’s right to exist. We therefore welcome Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’ letter dated 9 June 2025 which reiterated, inter alia, the Palestinian Authority’s continued rejection of violence and terrorism, its longstanding recognition of Israel’s right to exist, and its commitment to the implementation of its reform agenda. We hope that these commitments can be implemented fully.

 

6            Finally, we urge the Israelis and Palestinians to return to the negotiating table and make necessary, albeit difficult, concessions. To continue on the current trajectory will only make the goal of peace even more difficult to achieve, and result in an endless cycle of mutual hatred and violence. Both sides must have the courage to break this vicious cycle.

 

7            Thank you very much.

 

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