It is sad news about losing former Prime Minister Abe Shinzo, but I recall a memory indicating how he was a statesman with initiative in his leadership quality during his visit to Palestine in 2018 on tour to the Middle East. 

When then-Prime Minister Abe arrived at Tel Aviv airport in 2015, he headed directly to Ramallah, where he held a meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and members of the Palestinian government.

In the evening, the Palestinian government hosted a dinner in his honor, where they spoke, among other issues, about the Palestinian territories, including Bethlehem.

During the talks after the official meeting, Abe recalled his interest in visiting the historical city of Bethlehem.

We immediately proposed to arrange a visit for him to the city, and Abe said he would consider it. Shortly after his departure, the Japanese Protocol called us saying that Abe had decided to visit the city the next day. Members of the Japanese Protocol came to the Palestinian President’s office at 10:30 pm for the arrangements. We had all the arrangements in place by then.

The next day, I received Abe at the Israeli checkpoint in Bethlehem and introduced to him the rich history of the Palestinian city. 

A Japanese woman, who worked as an archaeologist there approached him. Abe greeted her and was glad to see a Japanese woman working there. 

Abe went to a park in Bethlehem, where he took pictures and appeared very happy. I can say that it was the first time Abe had broken Protocol and changed his schedule.

The visit of Abe to Ramallah before Tel Aviv and before visiting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was an important message for the Palestinians.

Furthermore, the subsequent visit to Bethlehem had a great political and economic resonance. The next day, Abe went to Israel, where he met the Israeli Prime Minister.

However, there was an issue with the dinner hosted by the Israeli Prime Minister. When the dinner was served, the desert containing chocolate in metal containers shaped like leather shoes was served and placed on a tatami, a traditional Japanese mat to sit on in houses.

Traditionally, it is not appropriate in Japanese culture, and one should not put footwear on the tatami. Therefore, putting a shoe on it meant, even in the form of desert, as many perceived it, breaking Japanese customs and traditions.

I couldn’t help but believe that Netanyahu wanted to convey a message of displeasure to his Japanese visitor on Japan’s position on Israel-related issues. 

Japan respects relevant United Nations resolutions against Israeli settlements, supports the two-state solution and has not so far recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. This stance by Japan seems to have angered the Israeli prime minister, who decided to insult the Japanese side. 

The Japanese government, however, did not comment on this incident and only said Abe and his wife enjoyed the dinner.

• Walid Siam is the Palestinian Ambassador to Japan