18 December 2024
Thank you, Madam President.
I thank ASG Khiari and Dr. Efron for their informative briefings.
I am also deeply grateful to Mr. Levy for his brave testimony. I express our great sorrow for the harrowing experiences you and your family have endured.
Let me reiterate Japan’s strong condemnation of the brutal acts of terror by Hamas and others, and demand for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.
Madam President,
The Middle East is at a crucial turning point.
While the situation in the region remains fragile, recent events have offered a ray of hope for peace.
In Lebanon, Israel and Lebanon agreed to a ceasefire.
Japan welcomes this achievement and commends the mediation efforts by the United States and France. All parties should take all measures to fully implement this ceasefire agreement and bring about stability.
In Syria, the Assad regime has fallen. We need to follow the situation with caution as it might be the start of a spiral of social unrest. Nevertheless, Japan strongly hopes that this historic event will lead to fundamental and positive developments inside and outside of the country.
The future of Syria – a future that has significant ramifications for the entire region – must be determined by the Syrian people themselves.
Japan is committed to fully supporting an inclusive and peaceful Syrian-led and Syrian-owned political transition process leading to a lasting peace and stability.
Madam President,
We hope these evolving circumstances will help realize a breakthrough in the devastating conflict in Gaza, where many hostages continue to be held and the IDF’s military operations remain active.
The enormous number of casualties of innocent Palestinians and severe damage to civilian infrastructure in Gaza are totally unacceptable. The persisting humanitarian catastrophe is also intolerable. Israel’s response to the situation appears inconsistent with its obligations under international humanitarian law.
A ceasefire in Gaza and the release of hostages are long overdue.
The dramatic expansion of humanitarian aid delivery is urgently needed. And, for this purpose, we need the continued presence of UNRWA. At the same time, the Agency should take steps to assure its neutrality.
That is why Japan voted in favor of the two relevant General Assembly resolutions last week, which gained support from more than 150 countries. We urge all parties, including Israel, to listen to the voices of the international community.
A negotiated settlement between the parties is also key to making a real difference on the ground. In this regard, Japan is encouraged by the reports of a resumption of the ceasefire talks and the seemingly forward-looking progress. We support the tireless efforts of the mediators. Both parties should seize the opportunity to finalize concluding the deal.
But a ceasefire, even if it is materialized, does not mark the end of the tragedy.
Tremendous challenges lie ahead to rebuild Gaza and provide for the well-being of the people living there. As a country that has experienced destruction and restoration after the Second World War and many huge natural disasters, Japan stands ready to meaningfully contribute to the early recovery and reconstruction of Gaza.
Ultimately, the only viable way out of this conflict is the peaceful co-existence of Israel and Palestine.
Japan remains steadfastly committed to this vision. We oppose the Israel’s illegal settlement activities, and any attempts to annex the West Bank. These would undermine the viability of a two-state solution and must stop immediately.
We will also spare no effort to revitalize the Palestinian Authority financially and politically, both here at the UN and through our own initiatives, even after our current term in this Council is over.
I thank you, Madam President.