Speak in One Clear Voice on Gaza Conflict: Blinken to G7
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Sulaiman
- . November 8, 2023
- . Update: November 8, 2023 2:46 pm
G7 leaders emphasized Israel’s right to defend itself, but highlighted that it should be in accordance with international law. The US Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged the Group of 7 – Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the US – for a consensus on the Gaza conflict. He called on the G7 meeting to speak in one clear voice.
“This is a very important moment for the G7 to come together in the face of this crisis and speak as we do in one clear voice.” This comes after US’s repeated rejection of a ceasefire. Blinken has been country-hopping ever since the Israeli-Hamas war broke out in Gaza. He has been trying to get allies and Israel, and countries in the Middle East reach a consensus, but to no avail.
Israel is adamant in eradicating the Hamas for its October 7 onslaught and argues right to self-defense. But in its self-dense, IDF has killed over 10,000 Palestinians in Gaza, majority being children and women.
G7 Wants Humanitarian Pause in Gaza
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida believes the unity of G7 is needed more than ever with the situation in Israel and Palestine, the situation in Ukraine, and the challenges in the Indo-Pacific region. Yoko Kamikawa, Japanese Foreign Minister, pushed for humanitarian pauses in the Israeli aggression on the besieged Gaza Strip, and called for aid to enter the territory. “The immediate release of hostages and the improvement of the humanitarian situation in Gaza is the top priority. Humanitarian pauses are a precondition for sufficient and continued humanitarian assistance.”
The G7 in their final statement said they are more united than ever in the pursuit of international peace, security, prosperity. The foreign ministers reiterated their strong opposition to any unilateral attempt to change the peacefully established status of the territories with force or coercion anywhere in the world.
“Such attempts undermine the rule of law, which protects all nations, especially vulnerable ones, as well as global security and human dignity. The members of G7 are working intensely to prevent the conflict from escalating further and spreading more widely.”
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As world leaders continue to support Israel and call for humanitarian pauses, the people of Gaza are paying the high price of Hamas’ attack – with blood and death of their children. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would assume overall security in Gaza after the war ends. But the US opposes a new long-term occupation of Gaza by Israel.
Washington said Palestinians must be at the forefront of these decisions and Gaza is Palestinian land and it will remain Palestinian land. “Generally speaking, we do not support the reoccupation of Gaza and neither does Israel.”
