Dear Foreign Minister Mr. Katsuya Okada

A petition that requests a drastic conversion of policy in the Middle East so that the slaughter in Gaza will never be repeated.

We think that Japan should change its current policy in the Middle East now that the change of power is achieved in Japan. We request that the Japanese Government stands for peace and fairness according to their moral principles, and express this to the Israeli government. It is requested that the following points be carefully considered, and effective action be taken.

1. The security of peace and fairness to Gaza's people!

• Please appeal to the U.N. Security Council to punish the Israeli government officials responsible for the Gaza slaughter and to fulfill the recommendations of the "Goldstone report" of the Commission on Human Rights. Moreover, please investigate the actual conditions of infrastructure financed by assistance from Japan and demand compensation for any damages from the Israel government.
• It is an extreme human-rights violation that obtaining food and water and the access to medical treatment are remarkably limited for the 1.5 million residents of the Gaza Strip. Please request complete release of the Gaza Strip blockade from the Israeli government.
• Please recognize that Hamas is a lawful political party that represents the public opinions of many Palestinians. Please begin the discussion with the parties concerned, including the Hamas government in Gaza Strip, for more effective reconstruction support and the development of a united government.

2. A complete withdrawal of Israeli settlement and the isolation wall!

• Please request that the Israeli withdraw from all settlements and military installations in the West Bank district including East Jerusalem according to the principle of "All withdrawal from occupied areas" stated by Chief Cabinet Secretary Nikaido in 1973.
• Please recognize that all Israeli settlements are illegal, and begin a legal examination for the import prohibition goods produced in the settlements.
• Please request the Israeli government to fulfill the recommendation by the Hague International Court of Justice that the construction be discontinued, the isolation wall in the West Bank be removed, and the damage amended.

3. Support Palestine to bring the occupation to an end!

• The "Corridor of peace and prosperity" plan ("The Corridor Plan") that the Japanese Government is advancing receives the criticism that the local needs of Palestine's people are not reflected and it could result in the Israeli government profiting from the occupation. Please do a thorough review so that this plan might not contribute to the continuation of the occupation.
• Please request immediate discontinuance of Israeli settlement construction that is newly advanced in a Jordanian valley and in East Jerusalem that is the focus of the "Corridor Plan". Moreover, please request discontinuance of the destruction of the Palestinian houses that occurs frequently in these regions and of the limitation of the use of water resources at once.
• The movement limitation in the West Bank district definitely obstructs the independence of the Palestinian economy at which "The Corridor plan" aims. The influence of the movement limitations of East Jerusalem and other West Bank districts are serious. Please strongly request the overall abolition of the movement limitation particularly.

4. International pressure to the system of apartheid of Israel.

• Israel is proposing to admit Palestine as a "Jewish state". This promotes discrimination to its domestic Palestine citizens, and obstructs the achievement of Palestinian refugees' return rights. Please do not accept this proposal which justifies discrimination and the exclusive policy towards Palestinians who are an indigenous people.
• Please demand promptly that Israel abandon of the nuclear weapons as an atomic-bombed nation with the experience of suffering extensive damage by the nuclear weapons, Japan should advocate this position. Moreover, please appeal to release the overseas travel prohibition of former nuclear technician Mordechai Vanunu, who revealed the states of nuclear development in Israel.
• Please take concrete action so that technical co-operation and joint research between Israel and Japan might not be used or diverted to a military program. Moreover, please do not issue visas to people who may be prosecuted as war criminal in the International Criminal Court.