A lot of credit has to go to Trump for Gaza ceasefire plan: Shanmugam

The long-sought deal for a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release would not have been possible without US president Donald Trump, said Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs K Shanmugam on Thursday (Oct 9).

This came after Trump on Wednesday announced that Israel and Hamas have signed off on the first phase of his peace plan.

It involves Hamas releasing 20 living hostages it is still holding, while Israel will withdraw its troops to an agreed line and free nearly 2,000 Palestinian detainees.

Shanmugam cautioned that due to the volatile situation between the two sides, a peace deal agreement is “never done until it is done”.

"At least there is more hope than there was previously," he added. "Trump has to be commended tremendously for pushing both sides, and ultimately, only the United States of America can influence Israel's cause of action.

"And he has done that. I think a lot of credit, even for us to be here, has to go to him."

@asiaone Speaking to the media on Oct 9, Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs K Shanmugam stated: "You have to say this would not have been possible without President Trump." #sgnews #singapore #gaza #israel #trump #palestine ♬ original sound - AsiaOne

In a statement on Sept 30, Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs had said that it welcomes Trump’s initiative to establish a dialogue between Israel and the Palestinians to agree on a political horizon for peaceful coexistence.

"We believe that a negotiated two-state solution, consistent with relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions, is the only viable pathway to achieve a comprehensive, just and durable solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict,” the spokesperson said then.

'Govt supports ground-up initiatives to help Palestine' 

Shanmugam was speaking to reporters after a closed-door meeting with three Palestinian students who are pursuing tertiary education in universities here under the Palestinian Scholarship Initiative.

Describing them as young people with lots of ideas, he said: “I told them, ‘Look, imbibe as much as you can and study hard. Also, absorb what Singapore has to offer.' When they go back, they are a bridge between Singapore and Palestine.

“We wish them the best, and hopefully when they go back, they're able to contribute back to their society in very significant ways.”

@asiaone Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs K. Shanmugam spoke to the press on Oct 9 about his meeting with three Palestinian Scholarship Initiative (PSI) scholars. #sgnews #singapore #palestine #education ♬ original sound - AsiaOne

In an Instagram post on Wednesday, the Palestinian Scholarship Initiative said that two of their scholarship recipients are pursuing postgraduate studies at the National University of Singapore (NUS) and the Singapore University of Social Sciences, while the other is an undergraduate at the Singapore Institute of Management.

It said that a fourth student was not able to leave Gaza in time for the start of the academic year. He was awarded the scholarship for postgraduate studies at NUS.

“NUS has kindly offered to hold the spot for the next academic year,” it said.

Launched last October, the Palestinian Scholarship Initiative has raised over $510,000, more than its target of $400,000.

Over $370,000 were raised through the Ray of Hope crowdfunding platform and another $140,000 from private donors.

This meant that it could sponsor four Palestinian students instead of two as initially announced. The money raised will be used to cover their tuition, lodging and living expenses.

There were more than 150 applicants for the scholarship, with a majority under 25 years old.

Shanmugam said that he was first approached for the Government’s support for the ground-up initiative through the co-chair of the scholarship’s assessment committee, former cabinet minister Yaacob Ibrahim and Nanyang Technological University's Associate Professor Walid Jumblatt. 

“I said of course… We’ll be happy to have them here. Then they can go back and contribute, because we all want to see a free Palestinian state, that's going to need administrators. It's going to need people who can help run the place,” he added.

Shanmugam pointed out other ground-up initiatives to support the Palestinian cause, including fundraisers and humanitarian aid. 

“People on the ground working hard, constructively, government coming in. We are all working together as a society,” he added.

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chingshijie@asiaone.com