Japan is working with Israel and the Palestinian Authority (PA) to renew the peace process, according to the Quds-Net news agency. Informed PA sources told the news agency that Japanese Middle East peace envoy Tatsu Arima came to Israel last week and is scheduled to meet PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas on Monday in Ramallah.
The sources said European and United States efforts have increased recently, especially following the U.S. veto of the resolution in the United Nations Security Council condemning Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria. They called these efforts more serious than ever, especially given the PA's refusal to return to talks without an end to construction in those communities.