Israel Protests Japan's Official Reception of Palestinian Official Jibril Rajoub
The Israeli Embassy in Tokyo protested Japan's official reception of Palestinian official Jibril Rajoub, citing his justification of the 7 October attacks and anti-Semitic remarks.
Israel Protests Japan's Reception of Jibril Rajoub
The Israeli Embassy in Tokyo has expressed strong disapproval following an official reception held for Jibril Rajoub, head of the Palestinian Football Association and the Palestine Olympic Committee, at the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Rajoub, who also serves as secretary-general of Fatah's Central Committee, met with Japanese State Minister for Foreign Affairs Yasutaka Nakasone, who praised his long-standing role in sports and politics.
According to the Japanese Foreign Ministry, the half-hour meeting covered the situation in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, bilateral relations, and sports cooperation. Nakasone expressed support for a two-state solution and continued Japanese aid, while Rajoub delivered a letter from Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to the Japanese Prime Minister.
Israeli Condemnation of Rajoub's Statements
The Israeli Embassy in Tokyo strongly condemned the meeting, pointing to Rajoub's history of justifying violence and making anti-Semitic remarks. The embassy recalled that in October 2025, Rajoub referred to the 7 October Hamas massacre as a "response to crimes committed against the Palestinian people since 1948."
"Granting official receptions to figures who justify terrorism undermines the shared values between Israel and Japan," the embassy stated, warning that such engagements legitimize extremist rhetoric.
Background and Sports Diplomacy
Rajoub has a long security record, having been convicted in 1970 for throwing a grenade at an Israeli military bus near Hebron. He was sentenced to life imprisonment but released in 1985 in the Jibril Agreement, later deported to Lebanon in 1988.
In the sporting arena, Rajoub has spearheaded years of efforts to suspend Israel from FIFA, claiming violations of Palestinian rights. In 2018, FIFA suspended him for a year and fined him 20,000 Swiss francs for inciting fans to burn shirts and photos of Lionel Messi ahead of a canceled friendly match in Jerusalem.
