Caught Between Israel and Palestine

Japan proved itself as a slow starter on the sudden wake of brutal military exchange in Middle East. As seeing the first week, from Saturday October 7th, when Islamist militant group Hamas attacked Israel, to Friday 13th, Japan looked hesitating in delivering clear message to the world. Even how the Japanese leaders hope to appeal Japan’s presence in international security issues, there should be a certain limit in the activities of Japan as a pacifist nation. It is likely that Japan cannot play a great role for the peace in Middle East as long as military exchange continues. 

The first comment of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida was not through a press conference or a ministers’ meeting of the Cabinet, but one of the social networking services, X. “Hamas and other Palestinian militants attacked Israel from Gaza yesterday. Japan strongly condemns the attacks which severely harmed innocent civilians. I express my condolences to the bereaved families and heartfelt sympathies to the injured,” posted Kishida on Sunday. This is the first response of the chairman of Group of Seven this year.

 

It took six days for Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno to call the attack of Hamas terrorism. “After the attacks of Palestine armed power including Hamas against Israel, we recognize that a number of people were dead or injured. We firmly condemn the terrorist attacks this time,” Matsuno told on Thursday.

 

The leaders of five countries of G7, France, Germany, Italy, United Kingdom and United States, issued a joint statementon Monday that expressed their steadfast and united support to the State of Israel, and unequivocal condemnation of Hamas and its appalling acts of terrorism. Japan did not join the statement. It is hard for Japan, taking a neutral position on the issue, to side with Israel on the opposition between Israel and Palestine. While former Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi announced in July that Japan would host a G7 foreign ministers meeting in Japan this November, it is unclear whether Japan can lead the discussion over the conflict between Israel and Palestine.

 

Japan’s position on the peace in Middle East is “two-state solution” whereby Israel and a future independent Palestinian state live side by side in peace and security. Kishida hopes to reach both Israel and Palestine to seek solutions. However, Japan does not have a diplomatic channel with such non-state actor as Hamas. It is not easy for Japan to mediate between the parties in the conflict.

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