US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called on the G7 countries on Tuesday to reach a consensus to tackle a huge humanitarian crisis.
Blinken stated that it was crucial for the group to show unity, as it did on the war in Ukraine, in order to prevent existing disagreements on Gaza from further widening.
This is a very important moment as well for the G7 to come together in the face of this crisis and to speak, as we do, with one clear voice.
G7 foreign ministers will seek common ground, partly to prevent further destabilisation of the Israel-Hamas war, but also to maintain existing consensus on other issues.
Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa claims Japan “unequivocally condemns” the Hamas attack on Israel, supports US efforts, and believes that “solid unity between Japan and the US is especially critical at this point.”
We appreciate the diplomatic efforts of the US in the recent situation between Israel and Palestine. You have our utmost support.
These efforts include a significant increase in humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, as well as pushing Israel to agree to a “pause” in its military operation to allow humanitarian aid into the enclave.
Blinken called it all a “work in progress” and acknowledged deep disagreements over the possibility of a pause. Israel remains unconvinced, with Arab and Muslim countries demanding an immediate full ceasefire, opposed by the United States, which says Israel has a right to defend its interests.
Meanwhile, massive pro-Palestinian and anti-Israeli demonstrations have taken place in G7 capitals and elsewhere.
At the UN Security Council last month, France voted in favour of a resolution calling for a humanitarian truce in Gaza, which the United States vetoed. Britain abstained in that vote.
A few days later at the UN General Assembly, a non-binding US-Canadian resolution condemning Hamas failed, while a separate resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire that did not mention Hamas passed overwhelmingly.
The US voted against the second resolution, while France voted in favour. Britain, Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan and Germany abstained.
The group also unanimously advocated that North Korea should halt its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programmes, that China should use its growing international influence responsibly, as well as called for joint action to combat pandemics, synthetic opioids and threats posed by the inappropriate use of artificial intelligence.
Blinken arrived in Tokyo from Turkey, the latest stop on his four-day trip through the Middle East that began with visits to Israel, Jordan, the West Bank, Cyprus and Iraq. The Secretary of State will then travel from Japan to South Korea, ending the trip in India.
