Mr. Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Secretary-General of the League of Arab
States, held an extensive meeting with the Japanese Journalists Club as
part of his participation in the fifth session of the Arab-Japan
Economic Forum taking place in Tokyo. The meeting was attended by a
large number of Japanese and international journalists.
Gamal Roshdy, the spokesman for the Secretary-General, stated that
Mr. Aboul Gheit delivered an opening speech in which he highlighted the
shared heritage between the Arabs and the Japanese. He said that since
the second half of the 19th century, Arab intellectuals have looked to
the Japanese Renaissance for inspiration and to learn from its
strengths. He emphasised the opportunity to expand and deepen
Arab-Japanese relations to include technology transfer, investment, and
cooperation in economic development, alongside significant trade
exchange, which has reached $140 billion since the beginning of this
year.
Roshdy noted that the Secretary-General also addressed the ongoing
Israeli war on Gaza, its catastrophic humanitarian repercussions, and
the intense anger it has provoked in the Arab world. He further
discussed the great turmoil caused by the Israeli aggression throughout
the region, as well as its impact on international security and the
global economy.
Mr. Aboul Gheit urged Tokyo to recognise the Palestinian state,
stressing that this would align with the right side of history and
provide Palestinians with hope that their independent state will soon
become a reality. He underscored that recognising the Palestinian state
would offer a light at the end of the tunnel. Mr. Aboul Gheit
highlighted that the alternative to the two-state solution is the
current apartheid system, forced transfer that Israel seeks, or a single
state, which would undermine the dream of a Jewish state as envisioned
by many Israelis.
