After the Internal Security Department (ISD) engaged the son and father duo in 2025, the son took down the post that year, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) said in a statement on March 24.

Its statement came after social media users reposted the blog post earlier in March.

No action was taken against the pair for their 2016 activities after ISD concluded they were not involved in military activity with the IDF, said the ministries, which did not name the son and father.

MHA and MINDEF said that in December 2016, for about two weeks, the pair had volunteered with Sar-El.

Midway through the volunteering stint, the father wrote to Singapore’s authorities to ask if his son could take part in volunteer activities with Sar-El as part of the son’s school volunteer programme.

Checks by The Straits Times showed that the son was studying in Holderness School in New Hampshire, US, at the time.

The father had informed the Singapore authorities that as part of the volunteer programme of his son’s school, he will take part in the Sar-El volunteer programme organised by Israeli volunteers and the IDF Logistics Corps.

They understood that under Singapore law, Singaporeans shall not serve in a foreign military organisation, the ministries said.

They also told the authorities that participants in Sar-El do not pledge allegiance to the IDF or Israel, and do not serve in combat roles or take up arms. Volunteers handle work such as packing, painting, sorting, cleaning, washing and cooking