TOKYO, Japan – Foreign ministers from the Group of Seven (G7) nations gathered in Tokyo on Tuesday for a two-day meeting to tackle pressing international concerns, with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the situation in Ukraine expected to dominate discussions.
Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa, who chairs the G7 gatherings this year, underscored the importance of close dialogue among the G7 members amidst a rapidly evolving global landscape. “Amid an increasingly complex international environment, close dialogue among G7 members is more important than ever,” she stated at the meeting’s opening.
The meeting kicked off with a working dinner, setting the stage for a day of intensive discussions on November 8. Prior to the meeting, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressed confidence that the G7 would demonstrate unity in the face of the Middle East crisis.
Foreign Minister Kamikawa, who recently returned from a Middle East trip involving meetings with her counterparts in Israel, Palestine, and Jordan, conveyed Japan’s stance on the conflict. She urged her Israeli counterpart, Eli Cohen, to consider a humanitarian pause and informed Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki of plans to provide an additional $65 million in aid to the people of the Gaza Strip.
The recent escalation of violence in the Middle East began on October 7 when Hamas militants from the Gaza Strip infiltrated Israel. Hamas justified the attack as a response to Israeli actions against the Al-Aqsa Mosque on Jerusalem’s Temple Mount. Israel responded by imposing a complete blockade on the Gaza Strip and launching airstrikes against targets in that area, as well as parts of Lebanon and Syria. Clashes have also erupted in the West Bank.
Apart from the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the G7 foreign ministers are also expected to address the ongoing crisis in Ukraine, the ongoing nuclear negotiations with Iran, and the challenges posed by climate change. The two-day meeting is anticipated to yield significant outcomes in addressing these pressing global issues.
