In a world fractured by conflict and muted by fear, Palestine has become a mirror of our moral priorities. And last week in Kuala Lumpur, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) showed that while it is willing to speak, it still stops short of saying what the moment demands.

From July 9 to 11, ASEAN hosted its most important annual diplomatic events: the 58th  ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM), the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), and the 15th  East Asia Summit (EAS) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting. These are not symbolic gatherings — they are ASEAN’s key platforms for shaping the region’s political-security agenda, engaging world powers, and addressing urgent global issues. One of those issues, inevitably, was Palestine.

The Joint Communiqué of the AMM acknowledged the worsening situation in Gaza. It expressed “grave concern,” called for “maximum restraint,” reaffirmed support for humanitarian aid, and invoked the long-standing two-state solution. It also noted — though stopped short of endorsing — the July 2024 advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice, which found Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory to be illegal under international law.

This language is not without meaning. It reflects the difficult balance ASEAN must strike among member states with different foreign policy priorities. Some, like Malaysia and Indonesia, have long championed the Palestinian cause. Others, including Singapore,

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