Singapore has no substantiated information that any Singaporean is or was fighting as part of the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) during the war in Gaza, its Ministry of Home Affairs has said, after several media reports claimed two passport holders from the city state were among 200 Southeast Asians who had fought with Israeli troops.
Qatari news outlet Al Jazeera reported on Sunday, citing information obtained by Israeli non-governmental organisation Hatzlacha under Israel’s Freedom of Information Law, that two Singapore passport holders were among more than 50,000 soldiers in the IDF who hold at least one other citizenship. One of them holds dual citizenship with Israel, and another has multiple citizenships, according to the report. Singapore-based broadcaster CNA also carried a similar report on Thursday, citing the official data obtained by Hatzlacha.
In Singapore, it is illegal for citizens to join, support or participate in foreign armed conflicts. These laws apply even if they commit the acts outside Singapore.
Adult citizens aged 21 and above are not allowed to hold dual citizenship, and once they have attained the citizenship of another country, they have to renounce their Singapore citizenship as soon as possible, according to the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority.
Responding to This Week in Asia, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said on Thursday it was aware of a foreign news report stating that two Singaporeans were among those who fought for the IDF during the conflict in Gaza.
“MHA does not have any substantiated information at this point that any Singaporean is/was fighting as part of the IDF,” said MHA.
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