Palestine’s representative to Japan, Waleed Siam, urged Tokyo to recognize Palestinian statehood amid the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Siam acknowledged Japan’s political and economic challenges, including U.S.-imposed tariffs, but emphasized that countries like France and the U.K. are moving toward supporting a two-state solution at this month’s U.N. General Assembly. His call followed a resolution by the International Association of Genocide Scholars declaring that Israel’s actions in Gaza meet the legal definition of genocide. Since Hamas’ October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, which killed around 1,200 people, the death toll in Gaza has surpassed 60,000 according to local health authorities, with rising deaths from starvation as aid remains restricted. Resource-dependent Japan, heavily reliant on Middle Eastern oil, has traditionally pursued a “balanced diplomacy” between Muslim nations and Israel, a close U.S. ally.
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