Visit to Israel and the Palestinian Territories by H.E. Mr. Yutaka Iimura, Special Envoy of the Government of Japan for the Middle East

August 7, 2009
Japanese

H.E. Mr. Yutaka Iimura, Special Envoy of the Government of Japan for the Middle East, visited Israel and the Palestinian Territories from August 4 to August 6. He held meetings in Israel with H.E. Mr. Shimon Peres, President of Israel, H.E. Mr. Daniel Ayalon, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Mr. Yossi Gal, Director-General of the Foreign Ministry. He also held meetings in the Palestinian Territories with H.E. Dr. Mahmoud Abbas, President of the Palestinian Authority, H.E. Dr. Salam Fayyad, Prime Minister, and Dr. Riad Malki, Minister for Foreign Affairs.
In regard to the Israeli side, Special Envoy Iimura appreciated respectively Israel’s acceptance of the two-state solution which the Roadmap of 2003 is based on. He also requested a freeze of the settlement activities and suspension of construction of housing for Jewish persons in East Jerusalem. He also expressed his concern about the displacement of two Palestinian families from East Jerusalem by the Israeli Authority on August 2.
In regard to the Palestinian side, Special Envoy Iimura confirmed Japan’s intention to provide assistance to improve economic and social livelihood in Palestine. He also emphasized the importance of achieving Palestinian unity, and once again urged for efforts towards reforming the government structure and building a viable economy in Palestine.

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