JAPANESE

Hiroshima City has announced the invitation of an Israeli representative to the annual Peace Memorial Ceremony*, as in previous years. But for the past seven months, Israel has been committing a genocide against the Palestinian people, violating international law and human rights laws, while refusing to fulfill its responsibilities as a state. Several Israeli cabinet members have even called for the use of nuclear weapons on Gaza. As an “International City of Peace and Culture” calling for the “abolition of nuclear weapons,” the City of Hiroshima must take a firm stand against Israel. The Hiroshima Palestine Solidarity Community demands that the City of Hiroshima disinvite Israel to the Peace Memorial Ceremony.

Background and History of Our Signature

Israel has been attacking the Gaza Strip and massacring innocent civilians for more than seven months while the world watches. We, Hiroshima Palestine Vigil Community, started standing in front of the Atomic Bomb Dome on October 13th, soon after the attack began, to send the messages of “Stop the Genocide” and “End the Occupation” not only to passers-by and foreign tourists, but to all of Japan and the world. Earlier this year we launched a petition urging Hiroshima City to call for a ceasefire, which led Hiroshima City Council to adopt a (very insufficient) resolution calling for an end to the “conflict.”

As citizens of Hiroshima, it is an extremely natural action for us to hold our standing appeal in front of and with the Atomic Bomb Dome, which symbolizes the memory of the massacre that happened here. And we believed that the city of Hiroshima, which considers the inheritance of the memory of Hiroshima as an important issue for its municipal government, was in the same position as we were with regard to the ongoing genocide in Gaza.

The Hiroshima Peace Memorial City Construction Law clearly states that Hiroshima City is to be built as a “Peace Memorial City” that seeks to realize the “lasting peace” enshrined in the Constitution of Japan. According to this law, successive mayors of Hiroshima are obliged to “work tirelessly” to uphold Hiroshima as a Peace Memorial City. In 1970, it was also resolved to make being an “International City of Peace and Culture” the highest goal of the city government, and since then, the city's basic concept has been to “work toward the abolition of nuclear weapons and the realization of lasting world peace.” Furthermore, the Hiroshima City Master Plan for 2020 to 2030 clearly states its task as “to create an environment that will encourage the political leaders of all nations to work toward the abolition of nuclear weapons and the realization of lasting peace in the world as the consensus of civil society.”

However, the City of Hiroshima decided to invite Israel, which has been committing genocide against the Palestinian people for seven months, to this year's Peace Memorial Ceremony as if nothing has happened. The City explained the circumstances of the decision as follows:

• At an April 17 press conference, it was explained by the person in charge that the invitation was extended because “the judgment of the nations of the world on Israel's aggression has not been finalized.”
• At an April 24 press conference, Mayor Matsui said that the invitation was in keeping with Hiroshima's basic stance of inviting people to visit, even from war-torn areas, to have them experience the message of peace. On the other hand, Hiroshima has not invited Russia or Belarus for the past two years. Mayor Matsui pointed out that inviting Russia “could affect the smooth execution of the ceremony,” and announced that neither Russia or Belarus would be invited again this year.

The following questions arise from the City of Hiroshima's response:

Questioning Hiroshima City's Judgment

Will Hiroshima City continue to condone this genocide until the “judgement” of the other nations is “finalized?” The International Court of Justice has already issued an order to Israel to take action, using the term “suspected genocide”. Who is Hiroshima waiting for to make a decision, while witnessing the slaughter of over 16,000 innocent children?

The current global protests against Israel clearly outnumber those against Russia in both scale and frequency. It is unclear how the “smooth running” of the Peace Memorial Ceremony can be hindered by inviting Israel but not Russia. The possibility cannot be ruled out that South Africa, Islamic countries, Colombia, and other countries that criticize Israel may boycott participation in the Peace Memorial Ceremony. Efforts to call for such a boycott have already begun. In fact, at the April 26 press conference in Hiroshima, when the City of Hiroshima announced that Russia and Belarus would not be invited, concerns were raised about the possibility that Japan's stance might be misunderstood and that other countries might decide not to participate. We fear that this double standard by the City will further hinder the “smooth conduct” of the ceremony.

The Israeli delegation has already attended the ceremony for many years, heard the Peace Declaration, and been exposed to the Hibakusha's peace message. Yet they have betrayed their pledge for “Peace” for seven months. How is it possible to “create an environment that will encourage the political leaders of each country to work toward the abolition of nuclear weapons and the realization of lasting world peace as the consensus of civil society” by inviting Israel again? By inviting them, as the City has done in previous years, we would be sending a message to the world that the City of Hiroshima condones the current Israeli genocide in Palestine.

Our Requests

Hawaiʻi, where Hiroshima's sister city, Honolulu, is located, became the first U.S. state to adopt a resolution calling for a permanent ceasefire on April 26. South Africa has taken Israel to the International Court of Justice. Several countries in Latin America have already cut diplomatic ties with Israel, condemning the genocide.

Inviting Israel, which knows of the horrors of Hiroshima and continues its genocide with impunity, to a ceremony in which it pledges “never to repeat again” is an insult to the victims of the atomic bombings in Japan and the people of Palestine. Furthermore, the current decision to invite Israel without inviting Russia is a double standard, and will not only tarnish the name of “International City of Peace and Culture” but also send a message to the world that Hiroshima condones genocide.

No More Hiroshimas! If the City of Hiroshima intends to carry out these words, it absolutely cannot invite Israel to the Peace Memorial Ceremony.

If you agree, please sign this petition to demand that Israel be disinvited. Signatures will be delivered to the City of Hiroshima on May 15, Nakba Day**.

 

* The Peace Memorial Ceremony commemorates the victims and survivors of the atomic bomb used on August 6, 1945 by the United States military on the civilian population and land of Hiroshima.

** Nakba Day is an international day of solidarity to commemorate the “Great Disaster” in Palestinian society caused by the murder, displacement, and dispossession of the Palestinian people as the basis of the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948.

(The following was added on May 21)

On Tuesday, May 15, we submitted 25,372 signatures and comments to the City of Hiroshima on the occasion of Nakba Day. It was a short 9-day signature campaign, but thanks to your cooperation in signing and spreading the word, we were able to send many voices to Hiroshima City. Thank you so much for your support!

We once ended the signature campaign, but in response to the recent press conference by the Mayor of Hiroshima City and voices from many people, we have resumed the signature campaign on May 21.

Please help us spread the word to show the City of Hiroshima that our appeal is not over - it's only going to draw even more attention and outrage.

Hiroshima-Palestine Vigil Community