Japan urges Israel to immediately halt airstrikes on Gaza

TOKYO, Dec. 31 Kyodo -
Japan on Wednesday urged Israel to immediately halt airstrikes on the
Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip, Japanese officials said.
In a telephone conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Japanese
Prime Minister Taro Aso was quoted as saying, ''I want to request an immediate
halt of attacks as well as utmost self-restraint so as not to escalate
violence.''
While saying that many civilians were affected in the offensives, Aso told
Olmert that Israel's actions are undesirable if progress is to be made in the
Middle East peace process, the officials said.
Olmert responded that Israel's attacks are targeted only at Hamas and that his
country will continue peace talks, they said.
The talks came after the United Nations, the European Union, the United States
and Russia agreed Tuesday to call for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza and
southern Israel by Israel and Hamas.
Large-scale airstrikes by Israel on the Gaza Strip continued for the fifth
consecutive day Wednesday.
Earlier this week, U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki Moon called for an immediate
halt to all violence in Gaza, describing the current escalation of violence in
and around Gaza as ''unacceptable.''
==Kyodo