http://www.mofa.go.jp/announce/announce/2011/2/0208_02.html
Statement by the Press Secretary,
Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Japan, on measures by Israel on the West
Bank and the Gaza Strip
Japan
welcomes the series of economic measures announced by Israeli Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Quartet Representative Tony Blair
on
the West Bank
and the Gaza Strip. Japan hopes that based on this announcement,
measures will be fully and promptly implemented for economic
growth
as well as
for the improvement of the social and living conditions in the
Palestinian territories, particularly the Gaza Strip.
Japan will pay close attention to any
developments surrounding this matter.
Japan also
hopes that these measures will enhance the mutual trust between the
Israeli and Palestinian sides, although they are not a substitute
for
negotiations
for Middle East peace. Japan, for its part, calls upon both
parties to exert further efforts for the resumption of peace
negotiations.
- (*This is
a provisional translation. The above date denotes the date of the
issue of the original press release in
Japanese.)
http://www.mofa.go.jp/announce/announce/2011/1/0111_04.html
Statement by Mr. Seiji Maehara,
Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, on the demolition of the
Shepherd’s Hotel in East Jerusalem
- Japan
condemns the demolishing of a part of the Shepherd’s Hotel in East
Jerusalem with
a view to constructing new housing units for
- Jewish
people.
- Japan does
not recognize any unilateral measures that prejudge the final
resolution on pre-1967 borders, nor does
- Japan
recognize the annexation of East Jerusalem by
Israel. In this regard, Japan urges
Israel to refrain from any unilateral act that
could
- change the
existing conditions of East Jerusalem. Ambassador Yutaka Iimura,
Special Envoy of the Government of Japan for the Middle
East,
- who was in
Israel, has already informed Israeli Government officials of Japanese
views.
- Japan once
again strongly encourages both the
Israel and
the Palestinian sides to focus on the goal of a
two-state solution, which is
important
- not only
for the Middle East but also for the international community as a
whole; to act in such a way that mutual trust will be developed; and
to continue efforts for peace tenaciously.
http://www.israelnewsagency.com/japanearthquakeisraelidfhumanitarianaidvictimstsunamiisraaidzakajnewsewishfederationsnuclearforeignministrydisasterrescuesearch031111.html
Israel Among First To Respond With
Humanitarian Aid To Japan Earthquake,
Tsunami
By Joel Leyden
Israel News
Agency
Jerusalem, Israel ---- March 11, 2011
..... Israel's heart and soul is quickly responding to the massive 8.9
magnitude earthquake that slammed Japan
and
the awaiting disasters of lethal
Tsunami waves now threatening many nations in the
Pacific.
Israel Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu wasted no time in offering humanitarian aid to the victims of
Friday’s earthquake in Japan. The
Israel
Prime Minister's Office and the
Israel Ministry for Foreign Affairs has announced that the first group
of Israel humanitarian experts is now preparing to
leave
for Japan.
“Israel Prime Minister Netanyahu
delivered a message to the Japanese government, saying that the people
of Israel express their deep sorrow
over
the tragedy in Japan, and that he
will work to provide any help that will be required. The Japanese
ambassador expressed his gratitude and said
that
he will convey the message to his
government.”
The Pacific earthquake, which was the
largest in Japan in over 100 years, hit about 230 miles northeast of
Tokyo early Friday morning. Devastating
tsunamis with reported waves of over
30 feet followed, wiping out and submerging entire coastal towns.
Resulting tsunamis waves have been tracked across the Pacific, with
possible damage feared as far away as Hawaii and the US West
Coast.
Shachar Zahavi, founder and
coordinator of IsraAID, The Israel Forum for International Humanitarian
Aid, said: “IsraAID/FIRST disaster relief
teams,
consisting of first responders,
search and rescue specialists, logisticians, emergency medical personnel
and water specialists, are now preparing to
travel
from Israel to the region
within the next 24 hours.”
IsraAID, is a coordinating
organization for 17 Israel and Jewish humanitarian groups, including
Israel Flying Aid which worked side by side with the
IDF
in Haiti, has established a Japan and
Pacific Earthquake and Tsunami Emergency Fund to assist victims of this
disaster. For more information please
"Israel
officially offered its help an hour after the earthquake struck,”
Shinomya said. “It is very heart-warming, but
at this point we
do not know exactly what the extent of the damage is, so it is
difficult for us to say what can be
done.” |
IsraAid is now checking where the
team could fly to a nearby country and then trying to make it to
northeast Japan, where the tsunami has killed
hundreds
and devastated cities and
towns.
“We’re in touch with local groups to
check the situation in the area,” Zahavi told the Jewish Telegraphic
Agency. “We’re trying to get to the closest
airport
and then get to the affected area
from there.”
Following intensive consultations
with the Israel Foreign Ministry and with emissaries from the Chabad
organization in Japan, the UN-recognized
Israel
based ZAKA arranged to send a team
headed by the organization's co-directors Mati Goldstein and Dovi
Maisel, on Saturday evening (after the
conclusion of the Sabbath). A second
ZAKA team based in Hong Kong was to leave for the quake area after the
conclusion of the Sabbath in their region.
ZAKA’s experts have extensive
experience assisting at natural disasters around the world, including
Haiti, the tsunami in Thailand and the
Katrina
hurricane in New
Orleans.
The Japan consul in Israel, Mitoshiko
Shinomya, told the Israel news Website Ynet that he was heartened by the
Israel government's offer of assistance.
"Israel officially offered its help
an hour after the earthquake struck,” Shinomya said. “It is very
heart-warming, but at this point we do not know
exactly
what the extent of the damage is, so
it is difficult for us to say what can be
done.”
Israel, which has dealt with many
disasters through wars and terrorism has become a nation of experts in
emergency medicine and trauma.
Israel also has considerable
expertise in clean water management.
Israelis were among the first on the
scene to help during the earthquake in Haiti and the Jewish tradition of
reaching out to those in need dictates
that
they would also offer help to people
in Japan and elsewhere stricken by this devastating
event.