Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced in Jerusalem on Sunday that Israel will soon advance the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire, while Hamas said it is ready to lay down its arms as part of its ceasefire with Israel. At a press conference after meeting visiting German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Netanyahu said that the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement has been largely completed. Israel will ensure the return of the last hostage's remains and is set to move forward to the second phase.
Netanyahu noted that later this month, he plans to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump to discuss the progress of the second phase. He reiterated Israel's stance that it will not agree to the establishment of a Palestinian state.
Merz said Germany supports Israel's right to exist and its security. He called for the implementation of the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement and stated that Hamas cannot have a role in Gaza's postwar governance. However, Merz also indicated Germany's open attitude towards the establishment of a Palestinian state while opposing any annexation of the West Bank by Israel.
Bassem Naim, a member of Hamas' decision-making political bureau, said on the same day that Hamas is very open minded to negotiations regarding its weapons, and Hamas is ready to discuss "freezing or storing" its arsenal of weapons as part of its ceasefire with Israel.
Naim said Hamas retains its "right to resist", but stressed that the group is ready to lay down its arms "with the Palestinian guarantees", and not to use them at all during the ceasefire time as part of a process aimed at leading to the establishment of a Palestinian state. He also suggested a long-term truce of five or 10 years for negotiations.
Naim also criticized Israel for not fulfilling its commitments, particularly concerning the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza and the promised reopening of the Rafah Crossing. He called on the United States, the UN Security Council, mediators, and other relevant parties to exert pressure on Israel to meet its obligations.
Israel to advance 2nd phase of Gaza ceasefire negotiations, Hamas open to peace talks
Israel to advance 2nd phase of Gaza ceasefire negotiations, Hamas open to peace talks
Israel to advance 2nd phase of Gaza ceasefire negotiations, Hamas open to peace talks
Japanese scholars and officials, including former Prime Minster Yukio Hatoyama, on Sunday criticized Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's erroneous remarks regarding China's Taiwan region and expressed concerns over the deteriorated bilateral ties.
At a Diet meeting on Nov 7, Takaichi claimed that the Chinese mainland's "use of force on Taiwan" could constitute a "survival-threatening situation" for Japan and implied the possibility of armed intervention in the Taiwan Strait, which has immediately sparked strong criticism inside Japan.
The scholars voiced their concerns at an academic exchange meeting held by the International Academic Society for Asian Community (ISAC) in Tokyo, where over 100 representatives from Japanese political, academic, and economic circles held discussions on the current international situation and China-Japan relations.
In his keynote speech, Hatoyama said that Takaichi's erroneous remarks on Taiwan region fundamentally deviated from international law and the spirit of the 1972 China-Japan Joint Communique.
"According to the China-Japan Joint Communique, the Potsdam Declaration, and the Cairo Declaration, Japan further reaffirmed its position that Taiwan is Chinese territory. Therefore, the Taiwan question is China's internal affair. Furthermore, the China-Japan Joint Communique also established the principle of non-interference in China's internal affairs. But against this backdrop, however, Takaichi made the related remarks," he said.
Participants of the academic meeting said that Takaichi's erroneous remarks damaged the relations between China and Japan and should be retracted.
"As an academic organization dedicated to the study of peace and security in East Asia, we are deeply concerned about the sharp deterioration in Japan-China relations caused by Prime Minister Takaichi's remarks in the Diet, which related Taiwan question to a 'survival-threatening situation' for Japan," said Eiichi Shindo, ISAC president and a professor emeritus at the University of Tsukuba.
"After the war, Japan and China reached many political agreements, but now it is Japan that unilaterally violates these rules and agreements. This is highly problematic, and I feel very sorry about it. Japan-China relations are deteriorating on multiple levels, and obviously it is Japan that has caused such a situation. (Takaichi's) remarks definitely crossed the line, and I believe they should be retracted," said Akira Kimura, a professor emeritus at the Kagoshima University.
Following the event, Hatoyama told China Media Group (CMG) that he was deeply concerned that Takaichi's remarks had worsened China-Japan relations.
"Prime Minister Takaichi made remarks about Taiwan question, claiming it would constitute a 'survival-threatening situation' for Japan. In my view, this was less a rash statement and more a deliberate declaration, which is regrettable. I am deeply concerned that the situation will worsen if measures are not taken quickly. This has plunged Japan-China relations into a very serious situation. The Taiwan question is China's internal affair, and Japan should not interfere," said Hatoyama.
Former Japanese PM, scholars criticize Takaichi’s erroneous remarks
Former Japanese PM, scholars criticize Takaichi’s erroneous remarks
