Summary:

• Historically, the Vietnamese Communist Party (VCP) has been supportive of Palestine and its quest for Palestinian statehood.
• However, its modern relations with Israel and lack of supportive actions towards Palestine call into question the sincerity of Hanoi’s support, as well as its “bamboo diplomacy” policy.
• While it is true that grassroots movements in Vietnam generally have to avoid criticizing the government, the small but forceful pro-Palestinian movement in the country should recognize the government’s hypocrisy in its Middle East conduct.

The conversation about the ongoing occupation of Palestine plagued American college campuses in the last few months, with many drawing parallels to the anti-Vietnam War protests that spread across the United States in the 1960s. These protests happened in the United States, but there were many other protests against Israel and support for Palestinians worldwide. Vietnam is also in this picture, as the VCP has historically expressed solidarity with the Palestinians.

While there are merits to discussing Vietnam in the context of historical solidarity with Palestine, the modern Vietnam state’s complicated relationship with Israel and Palestine has rarely been in the spotlight. The VCP has indeed supported the struggles of the Palestinian people, but Vietnam’s current relations with Israel call into question the sincerity of such a solidarity.