Arab News Japan
TOKYO: Japan should take a more proactive political stance on issues surrounding Gaza and Israel rather than just help with reconstruction, MIYAHARA Nobutaka, a Senior Advisor for the Asia Pacific Alliance for Disaster Management, said in a commentary on the prospects of peace between Israel and the Palestinians.
He also pointed out that violence in the West Bank, which is being fueled by American Zionists, will be an obstacle to peace.
“Rather than just posting on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website that settlements are a violation of international law, Japan should speak out against Israel,” Miyahara wrote, adding that Japan should also express its views strongly to the United States on issues such as violence against Palestinians in the West Bank.
“While the international community is focused on ending the Gaza War, oppression of Palestinians by Jewish settlers continues in the West Bank. Even if the fighting in the Gaza Strip ends and reconstruction of the Strip begins, if Jewish settlers continue to encroach on the West Bank, this will be an obstacle blocking the path to a two-state solution. Isn’t it a privilege for Japan, which has not gotten its hands dirty, to be able to say this to the United States and Israel?”
Miyahara said that Japan should bear in mind that if the situation in the West Bank is left unchecked, the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip will be difficult, so Japan should also focus on socio-economic support for the West Bank.
Miyahara filled on the background to the latest peace proposals, which initially would involve a six-week complete ceasefire, a complete withdrawal of all Israeli forces from populated areas of the Gaza Strip, and the release of a certain number of hostages in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners. This would lead to Hamas’ exit from Gaza, allowing reconstruction to commence there.
Israel is steadily achieving some of its aims, namely the destruction of Hamas, while the United States is trying to prevent a flareup with Iranian proxies. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia is likely to establish ties with Israel and push for a two-state solution, Miyahara wrote.
Miyahara says settlers are still creating an obstacle in the West Bank, while American Christian Zionist extremists are supporting The Temple Institute of Jerusalem, which wants to build a Third Temple that would involve moving or destroying Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock, the third holiest site in Islam.
“While the world focuses on the war in Gaza, settlement expansion in the West Bank continues with the tacit approval of the Israeli government, undermining the rights and dignity of Palestinians in the West Bank. Activities that threaten to escalate into a religious war are being carried out with the support of American Christian Zionist extremists,” Miyahara states.
“Some settlers are planning to clear out Palestinians from the area designated in the Oslo Accords as ‘Area C’ and are proceeding with the expulsion of residents and the destruction of their homes. The Israeli military and police not only do not interfere with the settlers’ actions, but also guard the settlers.”
Miyahara says if peace is achieved in Gaza, Palestinians in the West Bank will ask why the West Bank remains oppressed while the Gaza Strip is being rebuilt. He says the United States should revoke the Trump administration’s declaration that settlements in the West Bank are not a violation of international law and should also curb the activities of American Christian Zionist extremists.