Mayor Robert F. Wagner today announced that he will boycott the invitation extended to him to be a guest of honor at the celebration of “Africa Freedom Day, ” which is being held here tomorrow in honor of the political independence acquired in the last few years by a number of African states. The Mayor will ignore the invitation because Israel is the only one of the 82 United Nations member states not asked to participate in the celebrations.
Israel’s omission from the list of states invited was seen here at the United Nations as significant, especially because four of the new sovereignties celebrating–Liberia, Ethiopia, Ghana and Guinea–have very friendly, official relations with the State of Israel. The failure to invite Israel was attributed by all to insistence on the part of the United Arab Republic that Israel be left off the list.
Tomorrow afternoon, representatives of all member states of the UN, except Israel, will be given a diplomatic reception in honor of “Africa Freedom Day” at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel. Leading diplomats from Washington and from the United Nations will attend. In the evening, there will be another celebration at Carnegie Hall. Israeli circles have refused to make any comment about the matter.
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