Arab News Japan

TOKYO: A group of about 1,500 Japanese peace activists demonstrated for a peace settlement in Palestine in front of the gate of the Japanese Parliament on Sunday, calling for action to establish a permanent ceasefire in Gaza.

Several figures from the peace movement expressed their concerns about the situation in Gaza. KOIKE Akira, one of the leaders of the Japanese Communist Party, told the crowd the Japanese government should condemn in stronger terms “the ongoing genocide in the Gaza Strip by the Israeli military.”

The United Nations Security Council failed to adopt a motion for a ceasefire in Gaza on Friday after a veto by the United States and an abstention by the United Kingdom, both countries supporting Israel’s bombardment of Gaza. Israel has killed around 20,000 civilians, including about 4,000 children, and has destroyed nearly 50 percent of Gaza’s buildings.

At the demo, Palestinians explained how the Israeli army indiscriminately bombs civilians, journalists, children, hospitals, humanitarian workers, places of worship and refugee camps that are meant to be protected by international conventions.

A Japanese woman with a Lebanese background explained that she came to the rally to support the Palestinians and expressed dismay that the United States did not vote to condemn Israel.

The 1,500 demonstrators also castigated the procrastination of the KISHIDA Fumio government, which has failed to explicitly condemn the human rights violations committed by Israel.

Palestinians, Japanese and foreign residents read letters and messages from Gaza civilians grappling with the horror of incessant bombing.

The protesters urged Kishida’s government to develop a clear policy that condemns the “war crimes” of Benjamin Netanyahu’s government.

A separate demonstration took place in the Shibuya district of central Tokyo with protesters calling for a “Free Palestine,” a ceasefire and an end to the Israeli genocide against the Palestinians.