A debate about character and citizenship education in Singapore schools swirled recently over how best to teach school children about the conflict in Gaza. Among the many points of view that surfaced, one is particularly interesting – why bother about this faraway conflict, when there are bigger issues on the boil closer to home?

True, until the ghastly Israeli reprisals stirred the conscience of the world – former president Halimah Yacob expressed the anguish felt by thousands of Singaporeans in an eloquent Facebook post that was swiftly endorsed by Minister for Home Affairs and Law K. Shanmugam – the current round of conflict triggered by Hamas’ dastardly Oct 7 attack on Israel had seemed so distant.