Wider World

Israeli Ambassador to Japan Speaks about Japan’s Role in the Reconstruction of Gaza

The Yomiuri Shimbun
Israeli Ambassador to Japan Gilad Cohen speaks during an interview with The Japan News at the Yomiuri Shimbun headquarters in Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo, on Thursday.

By Akiko Inoue / Japan News Staff Writer

7:00 JST, February 6, 2026

Israeli Ambassador to Japan Gilad Cohen spoke about Japan’s expected role in the reconstruction of war-ravaged Gaza, during an interview with The Japan News in Tokyo.

The U.S.-backed Gaza peace plan has entered the second phase. The U.N. Security Council endorsed a U.S.-backed peace plan in November, authorizing the creation of an international stabilization force to oversee the process.

“We are not going to wait forever [for the creation of the force],” Cohen said. “It’s a matter of few months. We have patience but not unlimited one.”

On Japan’s role, Cohen said that “Japan can use its influence and position to pressure on Hamas and countries that are supporting [the group] and provide help in such areas as rehabilitation, rebuilding infrastructure and education.

When speaking about the U.S.-led Board of Peace, from which some Western countries absent, Cohen said, “Let’s give it a chance,” and said that “the U.N. has failed with all the conflicts around the globe.”

The Japanese government has not decided if it will join the body.

In the long-term, Cohen stressed that Israel does “not have any intentions to resettle Gaza.”

Regarding the two-state solution, Israeli President Isaac Herzog indicated that the solution would not be viable after the “new reality” following the Oct. 7 attacks, during an interview with The Yomiuri Shimbun in January.

Cohen echoed Herzog by saying the attack “made many Israelis realize that, if you give them a state, it will become a terror state.”

“Peace out of strength, not out of weakness,” Cohen added.

Regarding the situation with Iran, he said that Israel is “monitoring the developments very closely,” while describing it as “very fragile … [and] volatile.”

“We are not going to hesitate to use [the ability to defend ourselves] again,” he warned.

Cohen also expressed the hope of expanding cooperation between Japan and Israel, particularly in the defense sector, saying, “The same architecture that has defended Israel can defend Japan.”