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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Imee Marcos: As US ally, PH risks retaliatory attacks from Hamas' symphatizers

Imee Marcos: As US ally, PH risks retaliatory attacks from Hamas' symphatizers

Published Oct 11, 2023 06:53 am

Senator Imelda “Imee” Marcos on Wednesday, October 11 warned about the risks the Philippines face being a close ally of the United States, which has vocally committed to support Israel.

“As an ally of the United States (US), which has committed military support to Israel, we risk retaliatory attacks from militant Hamas sympathizers that a protracted war will likely provoke,” Marcos said in a statement.

“We import practically all of our oil supply from the Middle East. Despite the recent assurance of six OPEC (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting) Countries to support market stability, we remain vulnerable to the winds of geopolitics,” said the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations chief.

Because of this, Marcos said she sees the government having “a long, complex and arduous task ahead” as the conflict between Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas escalates.

“Our government has a long, complex, and arduous task ahead. May its foreign policy decisions truly uphold Filipino interests now and in the future, informed by a keen sense of current events and the lessons of history,” the senator said.

“This conflict is not just days-old, but centuries-deep. The struggles of the Israeli and Palestinian peoples deserve equal regard and are beyond the simplistic narrative of good versus evil,” Marcos pointed out.

She also foresees the Israel-Hamas conflict to be “another drawn-out war of global proportions with no certainty of prompt and peaceful resolution.”

Thus, she said, the safety of the country's Filipino migrant workers in Israel should be paramount.

“The foreign policy position we take today will have long-term consequences. Its primary concern should be the safety of nearly 25,000 overseas Filipino workers and the many Filipino tourists and pilgrims now in Israel and of more than two million Filipinos throughout the Middle East and North Africa who may continue earning a living there in years to come,” she stressed.

“Our distance from the main arena of conflict will not insulate us from violence,” added the lawmaker.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) earlier confirmed that two Filipinos have been killed in the ongoing conflict.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo said the Philippines condemns the killing of the two Filipino nationals and “all other acts of terrorism and violence as a result of Hamas actions against Israel.”

As of Tuesday, October 10, the DFA said 38 Filipinos have requested for repatriation.

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Sen. Imee Marcos Israel United States Hamas attack Senate foreign relations committee
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