The Hamas-Israel Conflict Puts ASEAN in a Tight Spot Once Again

Writing for the Observer Research Foundation (OBF), Premesha Saha analyzes the differing views of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in response to the Hamas-Israel conflict.

The statements released individually by the ASEAN member states show their differing positions on the Israel-Palestine issue. On the one hand, the Muslim-majority countries like Malaysia and Indonesia, which do not enjoy diplomatic relations with Israel, issued very strong statements.

On the other hand, many countries like Vietnam, Philippines, Cambodia, and Thailand, issued statements that were quite muted and neutral. In contrast, Singapore, which enjoys strong military relations with Israel, issued a statement condemning the Hamas attack.