Philippines' vote on UN probe into Gaza conflict won't affect ties with Israel — Palace
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines' vote backing a probe into the alleged Israeli war crimes in Gaza Strip won't affect its "excellent" ties with Israel, Malacañang said on Thursday.
The Israeli foreign ministry recently summoned Philippine ambassador to Tel Aviv Macairog Alberto to seek clarification on the Philippines' vote at the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council. The Southeast Asian country favored the creation of an investigative committee against Israel over its military campaign "Operation Guardian of the Walls.”
Gilad Cohen, the Israeli foreign ministry's deputy director-general for Asia Pacific, has said it was "unacceptable" that a country like the Philippines, "which itself endures radical and murderous Islamist terrorism," would support a draft resolution that ignores the "war crimes" of Palestinian militant group Hamas.
"The vote in the UN Human Rights Council does not in any way, or should not in any way affect our excellent bilateral relations with Israel," presidential spokesman Harry Roque said at a press briefing.
The Palace spokesman claimed that Israel was one of President Rodrigo Duterte's favorites among the countries he visited. The Philippine leader visited Israel in 2018.
"One of the countries we rely upon for assistance in modernizing our armed forces is Israel. We are also arranging the non-stop flight from Israel to the Philippines," Roque said.
"So that (vote) has nothing to do with our very close ties with the state of Israel," he added.
Roque said Duterte does not micromanage the Philippines' delegation to the UN Human Rights Council even if he is the chief architect of foreign policy. He said the Philippine delegation has consistently voted in favor of the right of Palestinians to have their own state in the same way that the Philippines backed the creation of the Jewish state of Israel.
"The Philippines’ traditional position in the United Nations has been to go with the Palestinian cause. Each year there are several of these recurring Israel versus Palestine resolutions that the UN normally passes these resolutions with the majority vote in favor of the Palestinians, so, usually it is the US and Israel who are traditionally voting against it," Roque said, quoting a statement of the Philippines' Department of Foreign Affairs.
"In short, our vote has been consistent with the previous positions of the Philippines. Although we say that, at the same time we very much value our bilateral relations with Israel," he added.
More than 100 rockets were fired Monday from Gaza towards Israel by multiple Palestinian armed groups, Hamas Islamists who control the blockaded enclave said.
The Israeli army had earlier confirmed at least 45 rocket launches, most targeting areas near the Gaza border, but seven were directed towards Jerusalem.
The army later sent an update that the rocket fired had continued through the night. No Israeli fatalities have been reported. — AFP
4th Filipino casualty in Israel: Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo reports that another Filipino died in the ongoing conflict in Israel. Manalo has yet to name the fourth Filipino casualty in the ongoing war.
"I regret to inform the nation that we have received confirmation from the Israeli government of another Filipino casualty in Israel," Manalo says.
"Out of respect for the wishes of the family, we shall be withholding details on the identity of the victim. But we have assured the family of the Government’s full support and assistance," he adds. — Rosette Adel.
The Israeli military says around 500,000 Israelis have been evacuated and displaced in the 10 days since Hamas unleashed the bloodiest attack in the country's history.
"There are about half a million internally displaced Israelis at the time," Jonathan Conricus, spokesman for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), says in an online briefing. — AFP
Israel denies reports of "ceasefire" in Gaza, according to the prime minister's office. —Agence France-Presse
The US embassy says it has organized a ship to take Americans out of Israel to Cyprus on Monday.
With Israel moving toward an invasion of the Gaza Strip, the ship will leave from the Israeli port of Haifa for Limassol taking "US nationals and their immediate family members with a valid travel document", the US embassy said in a security alert Sunday.
Tens of thousands of US passport holders live in Israel and 29 have been confirmed killed in the Hamas attacks on October 7. Another 15 are missing and believed to be among hostages held by Hamas since the attacks. — AFP
The Department of Foreign Affairs announces that the government has raised Alert Level 4 in Gaza, which means evacuation for Filipinos there is now mandatory.
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