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To curb the rising violence against Palestinians in the West Bank, Singapore has imposed strict sanctions on four extremist Israeli individuals involved in acts of violence in the West Bank. These sanctions include a ban on their entry into Singapore and restrictions on their assets and financial transactions.
The sanctions have been imposed on the following four individuals: Meir Ettinger, Elisha Yared, Benzi Gopstein, and Baruch Marzel.
All of them are accused of carrying out ‘serious and unlawful violence’ against Palestinians.
These are the same individuals on whom the European Union, Canada, and the United States have previously taken action. Ettinger and Yared are linked to the Hilltop Youth, known for establishing illegal outposts and engaging in violence in the West Bank. Gopstein is the head of Lehava, a hardline organization, and Marzel has long been involved in far-right extremist activities.
In recent months, settler violence in the West Bank has increased, but in many cases they face no punishment. For this reason, Singapore has urged the Israeli government to take steps to stop the violence and take action against those responsible.
Singapore and Israel share longstanding relations, but Singapore is now taking a clearer stance on the Palestine issue on international platforms. In 2024, it also supported several UN resolutions related to the recognition of Palestine.
Analysts believe that describing a few individuals as ‘extremists’ often makes the problem appear limited, whereas the violence and occupation in the West Bank are seen as part of a larger structural framework.