Latest news with #Fluss
GMA Network
25-06-2025
- Politics
- GMA Network
Israel back to normal but will help OFW repatriation, says ambassador
Israeli Ambassador to the Philippines Ilan Fluss said Wednesday the situation in Israel is back to normal but its government will continue to assist Filipinos who wish to be repatriated. In an interview with GMA News Online on Wednesday, the ambassador confirmed the state of emergency in Israel has been lifted following a ceasefire between his country and Iran. 'Life in Israel is back to normal, which means for the [Overseas Filipino Workers] in Israel, it is safe to go out, to go do your shopping, to meet your friends, continuing with daily life as you did before,' Fluss said. 'I think it's also a very good and positive message, of course, to the families here, knowing that the loved ones in Israel are sort of back to normal life and don't have to go every night, like my family or our families in Israel who had to go once, twice, three times a day into the shelters and suffering from those missiles falling in different parts of the country,' he added. Despite the improving condition in the region, Fluss maintained Israel will not stop any OFW who wished to return to the Philippines, and that repatriation efforts are being conducted in coordination with the Philippine Embassy, Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), and the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW). On the part of Israel, Fluss shared his country has aided repatriation efforts by coordinating crossing routes. 'It's a free country. Israel is not putting any obstacles in that way. There's no problem. They're entitled to whatever they are supposed to get,' he said. Israel is also offering psychological assistance to OFWs who may have been affected by the conflict, and said his government is doing its best to care for Filipinos in need of medical attention. The diplomat said OFWs who chose to be repatriated may return without a re-entry visa should they wish to return to Israel. 'They can simply come back. So this is again an Israeli government initiative in order to make people feel easier in leaving the country, but knowing that they can come back and they don't need to apply for re-entry visa,' he said. The right to be a state The ambassador denied claims from Palestine that it was Israel framing the war as religious, saying it is 'disinformation and misinformation.' Rather, he shared that Israel was simply fighting for its right to become a state. 'You know, the Palestinians are trying to put blame on Israel, on everything, and any bad word they can say, they will try. That's part of the, unfortunately, sort of disinformation and misinformation, and they're putting Israel in the image of being the bad guy,' he said. 'It's a very, very complicated issue. I never claimed that it's a religious conflict... And there's no desire to create war against other religions, where full democracy, that's not the issue. The issue here goes to a different place. It is recognition of the right of the state of Israel, which is the homeland for the Jews to exist,' he continued. Fluss said that Israel's goal to be recognized as its own state was behind their conflict with Iran and Hamas, which resulted in the deaths of about 1,200 persons during the October 7, 2023 attacks. 'We are seeing what is the kind of attacks and terrorism that they're spreading and who they are targeting, and why are they doing this? Because they don't want to see the Jewish state of Israel, the homeland of the Jews there. They want to annihilate the state of Israel,' Fluss said. 'We're always saying Israel has to be strong, because only when you're strong, you'll survive, because you are being targeted again and again… Thank God, we are strong. We are able not only to survive, but to thrive,' he added. Fluss acknowledged that a part of Palestine's territory was occupied by Israel, but noted Israel provided Palestinians in these areas with rights and autonomy. He also clarified that Gaza was not under occupation. 'Until then, they had no autonomy, they had no self-rule. And the idea was to try to move on with a peace process with the Palestinians. And this was the goal, in order to end us occupying some parts… As long as we don't have a partner to negotiate peace, there is no way forward from the Palestinian and from their point of view of resolving this conflict between us and the Palestinians. And we will continue, unfortunately, to struggle,' he said. Fluss hopes for a future where Israel would be accepted as its own state, and asked Palestinians would find it in themselves in the future to acknowledge this. A rise in anti-semitism Meanwhile, the ambassador rejected accusations that Israel labeled its critics as anti-semitic. While he noted there has been a recent increase in anti-semitic sentiments, he said that it was normal and legitimate to have arguments and political discussions as long as the right of a state to exist was not being denied. 'We are seeing a global raise of anti-Semitic sentiments, which is alarming. Globally, we're seeing an increase to 46% of the responders who expressed anti-Semitic sentiments. I said in the Philippines, and this is why I actually talked about it, we have seen also a rise in anti-Semitic sentiments… Not acts, not statements, but sentiments by the people who responded. And it went up in 10 years from 3% to 42%,' he shared. 'That's something that I think globally has to be raised… We have a history and centuries of persecution against the Jews. However, not every criticism of political issues and arguments are anti-Semitism. There is a global definition of anti-Semitism, and the Philippines has joined the global definition of anti-Semitism,' he added. —RF, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
17-06-2025
- Politics
- GMA Network
22 Filipinos in Israel amid airstrikes, says Israeli envoy
A total of 22 Filipinos on official travel to Israel have been trapped in the country following retaliatory airstrikes from Iran. In an interview on Tuesday, Israeli ambassador to the Philippines Ilan Fluss said that at least 17 local government officials of the Philippines were in the country on an official visit along with a separate team on a study on dairy farming when the strikes occurred. 'About 17 mayors and local government representatives, then a few from the dairy industry. So altogether, we have 22 in Israel. I have to say that from what I see, they are feeling okay,' he shared. Fluss, meanwhile, assured that the Filipinos are being provided with support and care by the Israeli government, who are now working on their repatriation. —Jiselle Anne Casucian/ VAL, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
22-05-2025
- Politics
- GMA Network
Israel envoy wraps up 4-year stint in PH amid Independence Day commemoration
Outgoing Israeli Ambassador Ilan Fluss onstage with First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos on Thursday, May 22, 2025. Jiselle Anne C. Casucian/ GMA Integrated News Israel Ambassador to the Philippines Ilan Fluss on Thursday commemorated Israel's 77th National Independence Day as he begins to wrap up his four-year stint in the country. During the celebration in Makati on Thursday, Fluss shared that he was a 'balikbayan diplomat,' having worked in the Philippines in the 90's before he was named ambassador in 2021. 'In the 90s, Manila was a different world. No MRT or BGC… Brown-outs were a part of daily life. Our kind neighbors then shared with us a generator so we could have electricity and water. But, the Filipino people haven't changed. They are still the nicest people on earth,' he said. 'Congratulations for the progress of this amazing country… Our hearts never truly left this country. We've always felt a strong bond with the Philippines, a country whose warmth, hospitality, and family values mirror those of Israel,' he added. The outgoing ambassador also highlighted that the partnership between the Philippines and Israel resulted in the creation of 3.5-hectare greenhouse Metro Pacific Fresh Farms (MPFF) in Bulacan, and noted plans of producing a modern dairy farm sometime in the future. Fluss also prayed for 58 remaining hostages in the Israeli-Hamas war and remembered notable individuals during the October 7 Hamas attacks, particularly Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) Camille Jesalva, who helped her 95-year-old employer by giving her savings to a Hamas member, 'We pray for the return of the remaining 58 hostages from the end of this war, and we continue to pray for peace,' he said. Department of Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Civilian Security and Consular Affairs Jesus Domingo acknowledged the connection between Philippines and Israel, noting that it was rooted in history. 'We recall with pride the Philippines's open-door policy, offering refuge to the Jewish people fleeing the Holocaust, and our crucial vote in favor of the United Nations Resolution 181, which paved the way for Israel's recognition as a nation-state. These historical cornerstones form a bedrock where strong bilateral ties,' he said. Domingo said that the partnership between the two countries continue in several sectors, including Agriculture, Technology, and Security. 'Our people-to-people connections continue to strengthen, fostered by tourism, public exchanges, and the shared democratic values that underpin our societies. We are both people of song, and one thing that we Israelis and Filipinos, we love a good song." He added that while Fluss would be a 'tough act to follow,' the country looks forward to continued collaboration with the Embassy in the future. 'As we look to the future, the Philippines is committed to further strengthening this multi-faceted partnership. We are confident by continuing to work together, we can achieve greater prosperity and security for both our nations, and contribute positively to the global community… And may the bonds of friendship and cooperation between the Philippines and Israel continue to flourish in the years ahead,' he said. First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos was also in attendance during the event, joining a toast on stage and receiving a token of appreciation filled with vegetables from MPFF. She also joined Fluss and other officials of the embassy by testing out a hologram of Fluss powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI) with a series of questions. Israel celebrates its independence day in the same month as Palestinians commemorate the Nakba, or "catastrophe," the violent mass displacement and dispossession of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians in 1948, during the war at the birth of what is now the state of Israel. Israel is also conducting a military assault and blockade of Gaza, with the declared intent of targeting Hamas within the Palestinian enclave. It has struck hospitals, schools and refugee camps, killing tens of thousands of Palestinians including thousands of women and children. South Africa has filed a case against Israel at the International Court of Justice, accusing it of genocide against the Palestinian people. Israel Embassy mourns fallen colleagues in Washington During his speech, Fluss condemned the killing of two staff members of the Israel Embassy on Wednesday evening in Washington, DC. 'I have to share the shocking news of two colleagues, employees of the Israeli Embassy in Washington, Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim, who were murdered just a few hours ago because they were working at the Israeli Embassy,' he said. 'I want to send my condolences to the families. We condemn this act of terrorism, but we will not let terrorism and antisemitism win,' he added. Israeli flags were placed at half-mast during the event as a sign of mourning. Domingo also extended condolences on behalf of the DFA and the Philippines. 'Join me also in wishing our condolences and prayers to our Philippine colleagues in Washington, D.C.,' he said. Lischinsky and Milgrim were fatally shot outside an event at the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, DC. "Harming diplomats and the Jewish community is crossing a red line. We are confident that the US authorities will take strong action against those responsible for this criminal act,' Israeli ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon said in a post on X. — BM, GMA Integrated News
