America passes on passing on bomb memorial service in Nagasaki

(MENAFN) A decision by senior diplomats from the United States and the United Kingdom to skip an annual memorial service in Nagasaki commemorating victims of the 1945 atomic bombing has stirred controversy. The move comes in response to organizers' refusal to invite the Israeli ambassador, leading to diplomatic protests and accusations of political exclusion.

British Ambassador Julia Longbottom publicly announced her decision not to attend the upcoming ceremony during a press briefing, criticizing Nagasaki authorities for excluding Israel from the event. The exclusion was reportedly intended to pressure Israel into seeking a ceasefire in its military operations in Gaza, a move Longbottom denounced as unfair compared to the exclusion of other countries like Russia and Belarus, omitted from invitations since the onset of the Ukraine conflict in 2022.

Similarly, United States Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel opted out of the memorial service, with his diplomatic team citing a desire not to politicize the event. Instead, Emanuel will participate in a smaller-scale ceremony in Tokyo, while a representative from the consulate in Fukuoka will attend the Nagasaki event in his place.

Reports indicate that ambassadors from other countries, including Australia, Italy, Canada, and representatives from the European Union, will also abstain from the Nagasaki ceremony in solidarity with their American and British counterparts.

The diplomatic abstentions have sparked debate and criticism from local peace activists and observers, who accuse Nagasaki's mayor's office of double standards in handling invitations based on political considerations. The controversy underscores broader tensions surrounding international commemorations of historical events and the complexities of diplomatic engagements amid geopolitical conflicts and global sensitivities.

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