Japan summons Israeli envoy to protest West Bank warning shots, Gaza war policies

Japan’s Foreign Ministry says it has made “a severe protest” to Israel over its military’s firing of warning shots at a diplomatic delegation, including Japanese diplomats, that was visiting a refugee camp yesterday in the West Bank.

Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Takehiro Funakoshi summoned the Israeli ambassador, Gilad Cohen, to request a full explanation and preventive measures. Fukakoshi tells Gilad the incident is “deeply regrettable and should not have happened.”

Funakoshi also reiterates Japan’s strong concern over what he describes as Israel’s attempted reoccupation of the Gaza Strip and the expansion of military operations, urging it to allow a full and immediate resumption of aid into Gaza, the foreign ministry says.

Funakoshi also offers his condolences on the killing of two Israeli Embassy staff in Washington, stating that “terrorism is not tolerated anywhere in the world.”