- ARAB NEWS
- 01 May 2025
Since 1975
Khaldon Azhari
TOKYO: Japan said it is rejecting Israel’s plans to double the number of settlers in the Golan Heights, which it occupied in 1967 and annexed in 1981.
“We do not accept or acknowledge the annexation of the Golan Heights,” Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi said at a press conference on Tuesday. “This settlement activity is in violation of international law, so we have repeatedly called for a complete freeze of settlement activity from the Israeli government.”
On Dec. 26, the Israeli government announced the “Golan Heights Development Plan,” which outlines a plan to double the number of settlers in the Golan Heights.
“We think this measure will increase tension and is a source of concern,” Hayashi added. “We would like to keep a close eye on this.”
