'Truly horrifying': Former president Halimah Yacob speaks out against Trump's plan to take over Gaza
https://www.asiaone.com/singapore/truly-horrifying-former-president-halimah-yacob-speaks-out-against-trumps-plan-take-over
'Truly horrifying': Former president Halimah Yacob speaks out against Trump's plan to take over Gaza
Former president Halimah Yacob has denounced US President Donald Trump's recent comments regarding the Gaza Strip, stating that they were "truly horrifying".
Trump, in a joint press conference with Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held at the White House on Wednesday (Feb 5), had said that the US would "level" the Gaza Strip, "take over" and rebuild the territory.
The recently inaugurated president also suggested relocating Palestinians residing in the area to neighbouring countries such as Egypt and Jordan.
Halimah voiced her criticisms on Trump's comments in a Facebook post the same day, calling his plans "a clear violation of international laws".
She also pointed out that Trump's plans bore resemblance to the forced displacement of Palestinians from their homes during the 1948 Arab-Israeli war, an event commonly referred to as the "Nakba", or catastrophe.
"Now a second Nakba? This is the last indignity to inflict on the suffering Palestinians," Halimah wrote.
"With such rhetoric, where is the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire, supposed to be negotiated and peace heading?"
A three-phase ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, which went into force on Jan 19, had been negotiated under the Biden administration alongside the governments of Qatar and Egypt, media reports stated.
While some hostages abducted by Hamas have been exchanged in return for Palestinian prisoners, the ceasefire remains temporary, with second-phase negotiations just starting.
Former president Halimah ended her post by saying: "With great power comes great responsibility."
Singapore supports 'two-state solution': MFA
In a response to questions raised in Parliament on Tuesday (Feb 4) regarding Singapore's humanitarian aid to Gaza in light of the truce, Minister for Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan said that a seventh tranche of aid, consisting of essential items and medical supplies, will be sent to Gaza during the ceasefire.
He had spoken to his Jordanian counterpart Ayman Safadi a day earlier to confirm this, with the supplies to be delivered by a Republic of Singapore Air Force Multi-Role Tanker Transport aircraft, Balakrishnan said.
A new round of fund-raising will also be conducted by local charity Rahmatan Lil Alamin Foundation (RLAF) during the upcoming holy Islamic month of Ramadan that starts in March, he added.
Balakrishnan also stated that Singapore supports the right of the Palestinian people to a homeland of their own.
"We believe that the only viable path for achieving a comprehensive, just, and durable solution to this long-standing conflict is a negotiated two-state solution, consistent with the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions."
Trump aides walk back some elements of proposal
At a White House briefing on Wednesday, press secretary Karoline Leavitt referred to Trump's Gaza proposal as historic "outside of the box" thinking but stressed that the president had not committed to putting "boots on the ground" in the territory.
She also appeared to soften Trump's earlier assertion that Palestinians needed to be permanently resettled in neighbouring countries, saying instead that they should be "temporarily relocated" for the rebuilding process, Reuters reported.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio reiterated that the idea was to have residents leave the territory for an "interim" period of reconstruction and debris-clearing.
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