Japan assumes UN Security Council presidency for March

By Merve Aydogan

TORONTO, Canada (AA) - Japan assumed the presidency of the UN Security Council for March on Friday.

Japan's UN Ambassador Yamazaki Kazuyuki said two signature events will top the agenda, "first one is regarding nuclear disarmament non-proliferation and the second feature event is on peace building on the core conflict prevention."

On the matter of Gaza, Kazuyuki said the Security Council is planning to convene on March 7 under a session related to Middle East in which he described as an "opportunity for the Security Council to discuss the issues related to Gaza."

Asked about Israel breaching resolutions issued by the International Court of Justice (ICJ), Kazuyuki said Japan is not on the ground and added that "We need to refrain from providing any specific legal assessment on this particular case."

He further continued by describing the incidents in Gaza as "very tragic" but added that Israel has the right to protect its people while abiding international rule and International humanitarian law as a member state.

Noting that the activities of UNRWA are very important and "indispensable", Kazuyuki expressed hopes for the trust for the agency will be rebuilt as soon as possible.

Israel has launched a deadly military offensive on the Gaza Strip since an Oct. 7, 2023 attack by the Palestinian group Hamas, which Tel Aviv says killed nearly 1,200 people.

At least 30,228 Palestinians have since been killed and 71,377 others injured amid mass destruction and shortages of necessities.

Israel has also imposed a crippling blockade on the Gaza Strip, leaving its population, particularly residents of northern Gaza, on the verge of starvation.

The Israeli war has pushed 85% of Gaza’s population into internal displacement amid acute shortages of food, clean water, and medicine, while 60% of the enclave's infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice. An interim ruling in January ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.