Hamas

Thirty-one Thai agricultural workers were abducted by Hamas fighters on October 7, 2023.

Kuala Lumpur has accused tech giants of censoring pro-Palestinian opinion since the beginning of the Gaza war on October 7.

A trio of new special envoys, to combat antisemitism, Islamophobia, and promote social cohesion, underscore Canberra’s concerns. 

The meeting came just days after a U.S. Treasury delegation visited Malaysia to express its concerns that the Palestinian group was raising funds in the country.

Central Asian Islamists lack the capability to translate rhetoric into operational attacks, but they are capitalizing on the resumption of conflict in the Middle East to enhance recruitment and financing efforts.

A team of Muslim Thai officials have been in contact with the Palestinian militant Hamas since last month.

Anwar Ibrahim has again said that his government would resist any outside pressure to declare Hamas a terrorist organization.

The country's pro-Hamas stance may be distasteful to many, but the U.S. is unlikely to expend significant diplomatic and political capital in order to change it.

With more Arab states choosing to normalize relations with Tel Aviv, Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur have emerged as prominent advocates for the Palestinian cause.

The summit in Saudi Arabia comes at a time of growing global polarization over the Israel-Hamas war.

While many Western leaders have expressed support for Israel, the balance of both public and elite opinion in Muslim-majority Southeast Asia is very much on the opposite side.