Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said there’s no alternative to a two-state solution to ensure peace between Israelis and Palestinians, warning they otherwise risk endless conflict.

“There is no alternative to that,” he told Bloomberg News Editor-in-Chief John Micklethwait on Wednesday at the Bloomberg New Economy Forum in Singapore. Otherwise, “we are going to be in this cycle of mutual destruction for generations to come.”

Lee has reiterated the call for a two-state solution, urged for a cease-fire, and his government in Singapore has banned the public display of emblems related to the Israel-Hamas war.

Singapore has taken a different position from the US, which is continuing its unequivocal support for Israel. US President Joe Biden urged Israel and Hamas to “pause” fighting in order to allow time to free hostages held in the Gaza Strip, while stopping short of supporting a full ceasefire.

Neighboring Malaysia has voiced support for Hamas, which the US and Europe designated as a terrorist organization. In Malaysia, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has voiced support for Hamas, stoking anti-Israel sentiment that has shored up his domestic political standing.

Author: Philip J. Heijmans and Rebecca Choong Wilkins