Good evening.
Yesterday, July 31, the mayor of Nagasaki City officially announced that it will not invite the Israeli delegation to the Peace Memorial Ceremony.
We took action yesterday at Hiroshima City Hall in solidarity with Nagasaki for Palestine, including reading out the statement sent by Nagasaki citizen volunteers.
Tomorrow, August 2, we will again hold an action in solidarity with Nagasaki. In Nagasaki, 5:30pm-7pm at the Steel Bridge (Chuo Bridge).
In Hiroshima, 6pm-7pm at the Atomic Bomb Dome. For more information, please visit our Instagram. Join us!
Let's strengthen our action and send our voices to the Mayor of Hiroshima and the City of Hiroshima! Israel Not Welcome to the Peace Memorial Ceremony!
The following is the statement from Nagasaki. Please read it.
(We also posted it on Instagram. Please spread the word!)
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July 31, 2024
Dear Mr. Kazumi Matsui, Mayor of Hiroshima City
We are citizens of Nagasaki City. We oppose the decision of the City of Hiroshima to invite a representative of Israel to the August 6 Peace Memorial Ceremony. Inviting Israel, which is currently occupying and massacring Palestinians, while not inviting representatives from Russia and Belarus, is a double standard.
From October 7, 2023 to the present, many have been killed, injured, infected, starved, dehydrated, and displaced from their homes as a result of Israeli attacks on Gaza. Hospitals, schools, and even refugee camps protected by international humanitarian law have been the target of attacks. Needless to say, most of the victims of the attacks are civilians, especially children.
An Israeli government official has even stated that dropping an atomic bomb on Gaza is "one of the options," implying the use of nuclear weapons. This remark from the Israeli government, which has acted as if international law does not exist, should be taken seriously. In Nagasaki, where we live, people have been calling for the abolition of nuclear weapons and peace under the slogan "Nagasaki as the last A-bombed city. To realize it, Hiroshima and Nagasaki should call for a ceasefire and appeal to the world to investigate Israel's nuclear weapons.
Not only attacks, but occupation, settlements, and apartheid have all been real facts for 76 years. On May 24, 2024, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ordered Israel to take interim measures to suspend its military operations in the Gaza Strip, and on July 19, it issued a new advisory stating that Israel's policy of occupation of Palestine violates international law. In such a situation, inviting the representative of Israel while not inviting the representatives of Russia and Belarus seems to indicate the city’s stance of turning a blind eye to the Israeli occupation and genocide.
Do not cover up genocide with the word "peace." There are things happening that should never be overlooked. Do not pretend it's normal when it's not.
As more and more A-bomb survivors pass away each year, many people in Nagasaki are concerned that the memory of the atomic bombing and people's awareness of peace are fading. What kind of "peace" will Hiroshima and Nagasaki shape in the future? We need to pass on the message of "peace" so that it does not become something to be consumed without value. We need to make the pain of the atomic bombings and the desire for peace not only a story to be passed on, but also something alive. We believe that "making peace something alive" means being responsive to all the violence in the world, being close to the victims, and continuing to think about the best that can be done from Hiroshima and Nagasaki. To this end, it is also important to show a strong stance to realize peace, not to tolerate what should not be tolerated. Now is the time to show our strong stance.
The world is watching Hiroshima. The actions in Hiroshima and Nagasaki will be seen as Japan's stance on peace. We are hopeful that if the city shows NO to Israel, as it has shown to Russia and Belarus, it will be a meaningful message that will lead to stopping the attacks. On the other hand, if it does not, it could give a green light to the current situation.
As people living in the A-bombed city as well, we ask you. It is not too late. Cancel the invitation to the Israeli representative to the Peace Memorial Ceremony. And invite the Palestinian representative to Japan, as Nagasaki did.
Nagasaki Citizens' Volunteers
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What We Can Do
①Share the Petition with people around you
https://www.change.org/IsraelNotWelcomeinHiroshima_EN
②Contact the City of Hiroshima to DEMAND that Israel is not welcome at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Ceremony!
Contact for Mayor Matsui is:
1-6-34 Kokutaiji-machi, Naka-ku, Hiroshima
Tel: 082-504-2037 // Fax: 082-246-4734
Email: hishoka@city.hiroshima.lg.jp
X: @HiroshimaCityPR
Instagram: @hiroshima_city_official
③Join the Lunch Time Tweet Storm 12pm - 2pm every day until Hiroshima disinvites Israel
Post on Twitter using the hashtags #招待するな虐殺国家 (Don't invite a genocidal state) #DisinviteIsrael and tag the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs @MofaJapan_jp, Foreign Minister Kamikawa @Kamikawa_Yoko, and Hiroshima City @HiroshimaCityPR
④Follow our Instagram and spread the word!
Thank you for your continued support and cooperation. Let's keep up!
Best,
Hiroshima-Palestine Vigil Community