RAMALLAH – Prime Minister Lawrence Wong has invited Palestinian Authority (PA) Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa to make an official visit to Singapore.

The personal invitation was conveyed by Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan during

his call on Dr Mustafa in Ramallah on Nov 4

Dr Balakrishnan is on a visit to the Palestinian Territories and Israel this week, following the recent implementation of the first phase of the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.

“Prime Minister Mustafa expressed his appreciation for Singapore’s longstanding support for the PA and welcomed closer people-to-people ties,” said MFA.

Dr Balakrishnan also had separate meetings with PA Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Dr Varsen Aghabekian Shahin, Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Dr Estephan Salameh, and former Prime Minister Dr Mohammad Shtayyeh.

In the meetings, Dr Balakrishnan expressed Singapore’s commitment to support ongoing efforts to alleviate the humanitarian situation in Gaza following the implementation of the first phase of the ceasefire, said MFA.

“Singapore will continue to work with our regional partners to support international efforts for the ‘Day After’, including the proposed Arab Reconstruction Plan,” the ministry added.

The ‘Day After’ refers to international efforts to plan for post-war Gaza, including how the territory will be governed, rebuilt, and secured once a lasting ceasefire takes hold.

On Nov 4, Dr Balakrishnan and Dr Aghabekian jointly witnessed the handover of the Singapore Government’s US$500,000 (S$652,000) donation to the World Food Programme, a branch of the UN and one of the world’s largest humanitari...