WORLD G7's top diplomats prepare statement on Gaza conflict 08 November 2023 - 08:30 BY JOHN GEDDIE AND SAKURA MURAKAMI subscribe Support independent journalism. Subscribe to our digital news package for R80 p/m. Subscribe now High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell, Britain's Foreign Secretary James Cleverly, Germany's Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Japan's Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa, Canada's Foreign Minister Melanie Joly, France's Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna, Italian Foreign Ministry's Director General for Political Affairs and International Security Pasquale Ferrara, pose for group photo session during the G7 Foreign Ministers' Meeting at the Iikura Guest House Wednesday, November 8, 2023, in Tokyo, Japan. High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell, Britain's Foreign Secretary James Cleverly, Germany's Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Japan's Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa, Canada's Foreign Minister Melanie Joly, France's Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna, Italian Foreign Ministry's Director General for Political Affairs and International Security Pasquale Ferrara, pose for group photo session during the G7 Foreign Ministers' Meeting at the Iikura Guest House Wednesday, November 8, 2023, in Tokyo, Japan. Image: POOL

G7’s top diplomats prepare statement on Gaza conflict

By GNNLiberia 1,940

BY JOHN GEDDIE AND SAKURA MURAKAMI |

G7 foreign ministers are set to issue a joint statement on the Israel-Hamas war on Wednesday and are expected to call for temporary pauses in fighting to allow humanitarian aid into the besieged Gaza Strip.

It would mark only the second joint statement from the group of wealthy nations on the crisis since gunmen from the Palestinian militant group Hamas sparked the conflict with an Oct. 7 attack on southern Israel.

The communique, to be issued near the end of a two-day meeting in Tokyo, is also likely to reiterate that G7 support for Ukraine in its war with Russia remains undimmed despite the spiralling conflict in the Middle East.

“We hope to be able to present a united G7 position on the situation in the Middle East in the G7 Foreign Ministers’ Statement, which we understand is currently being co-ordinated,” said Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno.

The issue of humanitarian pauses in the conflict was raised at a working dinner attended by ministers from Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the US and the European Union on Tuesday, host Japan said in a statement.

Wednesday’s communique is expected to include a call for such pauses, temporary breaks in fighting to allow aid into the besieged enclave, several Japanese media outlets reported.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Israel would consider “tactical little pauses” but, alongside its close ally the US and other Western countries, has rejected calls for a ceasefire it says would allow Hamas to regroup.

The G7 has appeared to struggle to agree on a firm, united approach to Israel’s war in Gaza, raising questions over its relevance as a force to tackle major crises.

The only other G7 statement came after a meeting of its finance ministers on Oct. 12 and amounted to a few, brief sentences. Other group members have issued joint statements.

G7 divisions have also been evident at the United Nations, with France voting in favour of a resolution calling for a humanitarian truce in the conflict on Oct. 26, the US opposing it and the group’s other members abstaining.

Read more of this story

Visited 102 times, 1 visit(s) today
Continue Reading
GNNLiberia 16806 posts 0 comments

Joel Cholo Brooks is a Liberian journalist who previously worked for several international news outlets including the BBC African Service. He is the CEO of the Global News Network which publishes two local weeklies, The Star and The GNN-Liberia Newspapers. He is a member of the Press Union Of Liberia (PUL) since 1986, and several other international organizations of journalists, and is currently contributing to the South Africa Broadcasting Corporation as Liberia Correspondent.

You might also like More from author

Comments are closed.