How ASEAN member countries view the Israel-Hamas conflict

Many in Southeast Asia have found themselves resonating with different aspects of the Israel-Hamas conflict. In a survey conducted by the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute this year, nearly 47% of respondents from Southeast Asia identified the war as their top geopolitical concern, putting it ahead of South China Sea tensions. While the majority of ASEAN countries condemned Hamas' Oct 7 attack on Israel, only the Philippines, Singapore and Cambodia designated Hamas as a terrorist group. Around a third of respondents expressed fear that a rise in extremist activity could impact regional security.