SINGAPORE – Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean met Israeli and Palestinian leaders on Monday during a working trip to the region.

In his meetings, he reiterated Singapore’s “longstanding and principled support for a negotiated two-state solution”, which is consistent with relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions, with Israelis and Palestinians living side by side in peace and security, Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said on Tuesday.

The negotiated two-state solution would be the “only viable option to achieve a durable, just and comprehensive solution”, the ministry added.

As part of the trip, Mr Teo, who is also Coordinating Minister for National Security, called on President Isaac Herzog and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel, reaffirming the longstanding relations between the two countries.

MFA said they agreed that the establishment of the Singapore Embassy in Tel Aviv in October 2022 would facilitate the deepening of collaboration in emerging areas such as artificial intelligence, agri-tech and digitalisation.

Mr Teo also met senior Israeli officials to discuss bilateral relations and regional developments, the ministry said.

On the same day, Mr Teo called on the Palestinian Authority’s (PA) Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh in Ramallah.

Both parties reaffirmed the warm ties between Singapore and the PA, and welcomed the establishment of the Singapore Representative Office in Ramallah in October 2022 to better coordinate capacity-building efforts.

Mr Teo reiterated Singapore’s continued support for PA’s capacity-building efforts through the Singapore Cooperation Programme, including the Enhanced Technical Assistance Package for the Palestinians, said MFA.

Mr Teo told Dr Shtayyeh that Singapore would be contributing US$50,000 (S$67,100) to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East’s humanitarian relief efforts for civilians in Jenin, the ministry said.