April 27 (UPI) — A hotel in the Japanese city of Kyoto asked an Israeli traveler who had served in the Israeli Defense Forces to voluntarily sign a declaration asserting that he had not committed any war crimes during his time in the military.
The Wind Villa Guesthouse shared on social media a copy of the form it asked the former Israeli Navy fighter to sign last week, noting that the business was later visited by officials in Kyoto who inquired about the incident after a complaint from the Israeli Embassy.
“The city official also told us that the city’s staff had been told that the pledge was discriminatory against Israelis. The city official also asked whether Israelis are the only ones who are required to fill out the form,” the hotel owners said.
“We ask all guests who may have committed war crimes to sign a pledge. It is not discriminatory because it is not intended only for Israelis.”
The hotel asserted that Israel is a garrison state with mandatory military conscription at the age of 18 for nearly all its Jewish citizens. It added that “cannot be ignored” that Israeli men may have been involved in military operations since October 7, 2023.
“The pledge refers only to acts of war crimes and does not call for disapproval of military operations,” the hotel said in its statement. “Since international humanitarian law must be observed by everyone, regardless of nationality, we believe that all human beings retain the right to affirm their non-involvement in war crimes.”
The hotel said that up until the most recent guest, no others had refused to fill out the form. It did not disclose exactly how many people had been asked to sign it.
“Just because the Israeli Embassy claims this is discrimination, the Japanese administration should not uncritically accept it and put pressure on its own citizens, but should examine both sides’ claims neutrally and fairly, and make its own judgment,” it said.
Days after the initial post, the hotel published a letter purporting to be from Gilad Cohen, Israel’s ambassador to Japan. In it, Cohen called the incident “deeply troubling” and said it “raises serious concerns about discriminatory practices” at the hotel.
“This discriminatory act, based solely on nationality, caused the guest significant emotional distress and discomfort. We view this incident as highly serious and unacceptable,” Gilad purportedly said in the letter.
“Singling out individuals in this manner stands in clear violation of Japan’s Hotel Business Law and of the values of equality and non-discrimination that we believe are shared by our two nations.”
Gilad asked for the hotel to make “sincere” efforts to deliver an apology to the guest. The hotel said Saturday that a response to the Israeli Embassy is currently being prepared.
The news was confirmed Saturday in a report from the Israeli newspaper Ynet, which spoke to the Israeli traveler.
“The clerk handed me this form and told me that without signing it, I wouldn’t be allowed to check in,” the man, who served as a combat medic, told the newspaper. “It’s ridiculous and absurd. I told him we don’t kill women and children. Why would we do that?”
Last year, another Kyoto hotel operator issued an apology after it refused to let an Israeli man stay at the hotel.
AloJapan.com