Peace is "unavoidable" in the Middle East, and Israel wants to work together with the Palestinians to put an end to the violence, the new Israeli ambassador-designate said of his country's position Monday.
Yitzhak Lior, who visited The Japan Times, emphasized that his country stands ready to compromise,Liorbut not under pressure, indirectly calling on the Palestinians to stop the violence.
Lior, who arrived in Tokyo three weeks ago to replace Moshe Ben-Yaacov, said he is pleased to see the recent rush of Japanese companies going to Israel to do business and forming joint ventures with Israeli companies in computer- and information technology-related fields.
He now sees more confidence in the two countries' interaction and a bright future in cooperation, he said.
Starting in 1965 at the Israeli Foreign Ministry's North American Division, he has held various posts dealing with the United States and the Middle East, and between 1990 and 1994 held the position of ambassador and head of the Permanent Mission to the United Nations in Geneva.