It took some time for the ASEAN as a bloc to release a statement on the Israel-Hamas issue, given the differing stands among its member countries.
The escalating conflict between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas has prompted most of the Southeast Asian nations to release official statements condemning the use of violence, which has caused the loss of innocent lives, including the lives of more than 20 Southeast Asian nationals. Although most of the ASEAN countries did release official statements, it was not until recently that the ASEAN as a regional bloc released a statement reflecting its stance on the ongoing crisis.
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.
Despite the death of 12 of its citizens, 11 kidnappings, and over 1,000 migrant workers in Israel seeking to return, Thailand chose a very neutral stand on the issue. According to a report by a regional newspaper, the Thai Nation, Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Jakkapong Sangmanee stated, “Thailand’s stance towards the deadly Hamas-led attack against Israel is one of neutrality, and the Kingdom promotes a solution that would allow Palestine and Israel to coexist.”
The statements released individually by the ASEAN member states show their differing positions on the Israel-Palestine issue.
Singapore was one of the first nations in the region to issue a statement immediately after the attack by Hamas on 7 October 2023. A spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that “the city-state strongly condemns the rocket and terror attacks from Gaza on Israel, which have resulted in deaths and injuries of many innocent civilians. Our thoughts are with the families of the victims. We call for an immediate end to the violence and urge all sides to do their utmost to protect the safety and security of civilians.”
The Philippines, which under the current government of Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is pivoting back to the United States (US)—the latter being one of Israel’s strongest partners—came up with a statement that cannot be seen as completely neutral, even though it does not call out Hamas. A statement from the Philippines Foreign Ministry noted, “The Philippines condemns the attacks, especially against civilian populations. The Philippines understands the right of states to self-defence in the light of external aggression as recognised in the United Nations Charter.”
Vietnam, too, was seen taking a neutral approach. The statement from the Vietnamese Foreign Ministry read, “Hanoi was profoundly concerned over the escalating violence between Hamas and Israel. We call on relevant parties to exercise restraint, refrain from taking actions that complicate the situation, and soon resume negotiations to resolve disagreements through peaceful means.” On a similar note, the Cambodian Foreign Ministry was quoted stating, “Cambodia expresses its deep regret for the conflict and condemns all forms of violence and terrorist acts. Cambodia calls for all parties to exercise utmost restraint and seek avenues for de-escalation and ceasefire.”
The Philippines understands the right of states to self-defense in the light of external aggression as recognised in the United Nations Charter.”
Malaysia and Indonesia, on the contrary, released very strong statements, with the leaders of both countries making strong remarks in favour of Palestine. The Indonesian Foreign Ministry’s statement read, “Indonesia is deeply concerned with the escalation of conflict between Palestine and Israel. Indonesia urges the immediate end of violence to avoid further human casualties.” It further added, “The root of the conflict, namely, the occupation of the Palestinian territories by Israel, must be resolved, per the parameters agreed upon by the U.N.” Even Indonesian clerics from the Indonesian Ulema Council have made stringent remarks calling the Hamas assault a counter-attack to Israel’s actions which, “have systematically destroyed the sovereignty of the Palestinian people and nation”.
The Malaysian statement and remarks have been a sterner one, highlighting the “flagrant hypocrisy of the West in dealing with any regime [Israel] that practices apartheid and blatantly violates human rights and international law. The root cause must be acknowledged. The Palestinians have been subjected to the (sic) prolonged illegal occupation, blockade and sufferings, the desecration of Al-Aqsa, as well as the politics of dispossession at the hands of Israel as the occupier.” The Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, has even stated, “In the Ukraine crisis, for example, the West were lightning fast to offer their support to Kyiv. Unfortunately, when it involves Palestine, it is completely ignored.” Malaysian MPs have also not held back from making remarks against countries that are developing ties with Israel. For instance, PAS MP, Ahmad Fadhli Shaari, said in the Parliament, “Any effort to normalise ties with Israel, regardless of which nation or even if it is an Arab state, is a betrayal.” This remark has been poked at Saudi Arabia, which has been trying to establish diplomatic relations with Jerusalem.
Malaysia and Indonesia, on the contrary, released very strong statements, with the leaders of both countries making strong remarks in favour of Palestine.
For countries like Vietnam, Thailand, and Cambodia, the ‘highly neutral’ stand can be attributed to the fact that, given the geographical distance, these countries believe that this conflict will not have much impact on Southeast Asia in general and their economies in particular. Some scholars have also noted that the reason behind such a muted response can be the government’s desire to maintain trade and security ties with Israel. Vietnam is Israel’s third-largest weapons export market and the two nations had also concluded a Free Trade Agreement earlier this year. When it comes to the Philippines, its stand can be seen as ‘moderately neutral’ given the growing close relationship with its security partner, the US.
For Singapore, Israel has been a trusted defence partner since 1965, when the island state separated from the Malay Federation. During this period, Israeli military advisers assisted the Singapore Armed Forces and, since then, the two countries have built a solid partnership. The defence ties have only been evolving forward, as can be seen in the joint development and production of the surface-to-surface Blue Spear missiles. At the same time, there is concern among Singaporean leaders that, given the Muslim population in the island state—even if they are in a minority—Singapore’s stance can create a religious divide, which would then impact the peace and tranquillity of the island nation. So, the Singapore government has banned public gatherings and meetings on the current Israel-Hamas conflict. The Singaporean government has also sent letters expressing condolence to the Palestinian authorities over the loss of innocent lives and has pledged a US$300,000 donation in humanitarian aid.
The defence ties have only been evolving forward, as can be seen in the joint development and production of the surface-to-surface Blue Spear missiles.
In Malaysia and Indonesia, religion plays a big role in domestic politics; and being the largest Muslim-populated country in the region, there is a sizeable number of sympathisers for the Palestinian cause. These countries do not officially recognise Israel as well. There have been many public demonstrations on the streets of both countries against Israel and the US. It is difficult for the two governments to ignore these public sentiments, especially for Indonesia, which is scheduled to hold its Presidential elections in February 2024. Both countries have also been staunch advocates of the Palestinian cause at the Organisation of the Islamic Cooperation (OIC). The Indonesian Foreign Minister has also stated that “OIC must mobilize all efforts to urge a ceasefire as soon as possible.” Malaysia has proposed a US$2.1 million government pledge dedicated to aid for Palestine. Indonesia has also signed several Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) aimed towards executing numerous capacity-building programmes for Palestine and has also provided aid to Gaza.
It took some time for the ASEAN as a bloc to release a statement on this issue, given the differing stands amongst its member countries. The Foreign Ministers of the ASEAN countries, in a joint statement, pointed out, “The only viable path to resolve the conflict was through the implementation of the two-state solution while calling on the international community to support the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.” The ministers also urged for the creation of a humanitarian corridor as the number of Southeast Asian migrant casualties has been on the rise.
The differing stands by the Southeast Asian countries are reflective of the fact that history, religion, and domestic political climate play a huge role in the region’s foreign policy approach. A delayed statement from ASEAN’s end also shows the continuing efforts of this sub-regional organisation to find a middle path amidst all the divergences that exist among its members, in the hope of maintaining the relevance of the grouping on the global stage.
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