canadiangermannews_htsq22 
Vancouver, BC – written November 8th, 2023 – The G7 Summit is an annual international forum that convenes leaders from G7 member States, including France, the US, the UK, Germany, Japan, Italy, and Canada. The European Union, represented jointly by the President of the European Council and the President of the European Commission, actively engages in all discussions as a guest. In 2023, with Japan holding the G7 Presidency, Hiroshima is the host city for the Summit, a place with a poignant history, having endured the devastation of an atomic bomb in 1945.
The first section below describes a joint statement, while the second section describes how the Summit feels about Israel, Gaza and the Westbank.
Section 1
The text of the following statement was released by the G7 foreign ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States of America and the High Representative of the European Union: (https://www.state.gov/g7-japan-2023-foreign-ministers-statement/)
“We, the G7 Foreign Ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States of America, and the High Representative of the European Union, are more united than ever in the pursuit of international peace, security, and prosperity. In this Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, we further enhance our cooperation to collectively respond to recent global and regional issues, building on our commitments by our leaders at the G7 Hiroshima Summit.
We remain steadfast in upholding and strengthening the free and open international order based on the rule of law, respecting the United Nations (UN) Charter (see below). We reiterate our strong opposition to any unilateral attempts to change the peacefully established status of territories by force or coercion anywhere in the world. Such attempts undermine the rule of law, which protects all nations, especially the vulnerable, as well as global security and human dignity.
Preamble of the United Nations Charter:
WE THE PEOPLES OF THE UNITED NATIONS DETERMINED
- to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, which twice in our lifetime has brought untold sorrow to mankind, and
- to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, in the equal rights of men and women and of nations large and small, and
- to establish conditions under which justice and respect for the obligations arising from treaties and other sources of international law can be maintained, and
- to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom,
AND FOR THESE ENDS
- to practice tolerance and live together in peace with one another as good neighbours, and
- to unite our strength to maintain international peace and security, and
- to ensure, by the acceptance of principles and the institution of methods, that armed force shall not be used, save in the common interest, and
- to employ international machinery for the promotion of the economic and social advancement of all peoples,
HAVE RESOLVED TO COMBINE OUR EFFORTS TO ACCOMPLISH THESE AIMS.
Accordingly, our respective Governments, through representatives assembled in the city of San Francisco, who have exhibited their full powers found to be in good and due form, have agreed to the present Charter of the United Nations and do hereby establish an international organization to be known as the United Nations.
We also commit to further building international solidarity beyond the G7 to advance global economic development and address broader global challenges, such as climate change, nuclear disarmament, economic resilience and economic security, and gender equality including the Women, Peace and Security agenda.
We remain deeply concerned about foreign interference, information manipulation, and other hostile actions designed to undermine our democracies. We call on all countries to respect their obligations under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. We underscore the need to advance all of the Sustainable Development Goals to promote peace and prosperity for people and the planet, as reflected at the 2023 SDG Summit. We also take note of the Summit for a New Global Financing Pact. Our determination to meet our commitments on these issues is unwavering, and we will continue strengthening them towards the next year under the Italian Presidency.”
Section 2 – Situation in Israel, Gaza, and the West Bank
“We unequivocally condemn the terror attacks by Hamas and others across Israel that began on October 7, 2023, as well as ongoing missile attacks against Israel. We emphasize Israel’s right to defend itself and its people, in accordance with international law, as it seeks to prevent a recurrence. We call for the immediate release of all hostages without preconditions.
We express our deepest sympathy and condolences to the victims of these attacks and their families, as well as all civilians, Palestinian, Israeli, and others, including our own citizens, who have died or been injured during this conflict. Israelis and Palestinians have an equal right to live in safety, dignity, and peace. We reject antisemitism and Islamophobia in any form in our own societies and anywhere in the world.
We stress the need for urgent action to address the deteriorating humanitarian crisis in Gaza. All parties must allow unimpeded humanitarian support for civilians, including food, water, medical care, fuel, and shelter, and access for humanitarian workers. We support humanitarian pauses and corridors to facilitate urgently needed assistance, civilian movement, and the release of hostages. Foreign nationals must also be allowed to continue to depart. We underscore the importance of protecting civilians and compliance with international law, in particular international humanitarian law. Since October 7, the G7 members have pledged an additional $500 million for the Palestinian people, including through the UN agencies and other humanitarian actors. We urge countries around the world to join us in this effort. We welcome the November 9 international conference in Paris on humanitarian issues.
The rise in extremist settler violence committed against Palestinians is unacceptable, undermines security in the West Bank, and threatens prospects for a lasting peace. The G7 members, along with partners in the region, are working intensively to prevent the conflict from escalating further and spreading more widely. We are also working together, including by imposing sanctions or other measures, to deny Hamas the ability to raise and use funds to carry out atrocities.
The G7 members are committed to working closely with partners to prepare sustainable long-term solutions for Gaza and a return to a broader peace process in line with the internationally agreed parameters. We underscore that a two-state solution, which envisions Israel and a viable Palestinian state living side by side in peace, security, and mutual recognition, remains the only path to a just, lasting, and secure peace.”
*Photographs posted on this website are taken by the Host Photographer and can be downloaded as copyright free material. https://www.g7hiroshima.go.jp/en/