Israel's envoy to Japan was recently excluded from a peace ceremony in Nagasaki commemorating the 1945 atomic bombing of the city. The decision by Nagasaki authorities not to invite the Israeli ambassador contrasts with Hiroshima, which has extended an invitation to Israel for its upcoming ceremony.
Activists and bomb survivor groups had pressured both cities to exclude Israel due to its actions in Gaza. However, Nagasaki Mayor Shiro Suzuki stated that Israel's exclusion was based on security concerns rather than political reasons, emphasizing the desire for a peaceful and solemn atmosphere during the memorial.
Israel's ambassador in Tokyo, Gilad Cohen, disputed the security argument, stating that relevant authorities had confirmed there were no obstacles for his attendance in Nagasaki. Cohen accused the mayor of inventing security concerns for political motivations, expressing surprise at the decision.
Cohen highlighted that Iran, a supporter of Hamas and Hezbollah, was set to attend the Nagasaki ceremony, sending what he believed was the wrong message to the free world and civilization. Despite the exclusion from Nagasaki, Cohen planned to lay floral tributes at Hiroshima Peace Park to honor the victims of the atomic bombings.
The annual memorials in Hiroshima and Nagasaki aim to promote global peace and advocate against the use of nuclear weapons. The bombings in 1945 led to Japan's unconditional surrender, ending World War II but causing immense loss of life and long-term health effects due to radiation exposure.
