Palestine said it would ask the Philippines to investigate the increasing presence of Israelis in the country, especially those who are serving in the military.
“These people should be tried and held to account. Settlers who come to, for example, the Philippines and want to go on retreats and enjoy life and visiting in the Philippines. They should be questioned because they have committed crimes, and they should be held responsible for those crimes,” Palestinian Foreign Minister Varsen Shahin said at a press conference in Makati City on Thursday.
“Any company that has engagements with Israeli settlers or settlements or war crimes should be questioned. So, yes, we are following up with most countries of the world,” she said.
This came after around 80 residents of Siargao staged a protest against the recent increase in Israeli soldiers taking holidays on the island.
They also protested against the construction of a “Chabad House” on the island, stating that such an establishment would normalize the presence of individuals “complicit in genocide.”
‘They love the Philippines’
In an interview with GMA News Online, Israeli Ambassador Dana Kursh said that the recent spike in Israeli visitors in the country was simply a result of a better promotion of the Philippines as a destination.
She clarified that it had nothing to do with the conflict between Israel and Hamas.
“They love the Philippines. I’m happy that many Israelis choose to come and visit here and enjoy your amazing islands, including Siargao. I have to tell you that I’m meeting a lot of tourists, and they’re wonderful people that are enjoying your wonderful more-than-7,000-island paradise,” she said.
Kursh added that Israelis who violate Philippine laws should be held accountable.
“If somebody had done something wrong, we will deal with that. The Israeli Defense Forces is working under very, very tight scrutiny to prevent anything from doing any harm to civilian people. We are trying not to cause innocent Palestinians to lose their lives,” she said. —VBL, GMA Integrated News
