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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Israeli envoy in Manila echoes rejection for ceasefire

Israeli envoy in Manila echoes rejection for ceasefire

Published Oct 25, 2023 12:32 pm

Israeli Ambassador to the Philippines Ilan Fluss on Wednesday, Oct. 25, reiterated his government's rejection of any ceasefire in the war between Israel and Hamas amid calls made by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) for a cessation of hostilities.

"Israeli Foreign Minister [Eli Cohen] expressed very clearly the position of the Israeli government. And I don't have to repeat it, it's well-known internationally," Fluss said at a roundtable discussion with Manila Bulletin.

Cohen rejected the call made by United Nations (UN) Secretary General Antonio Guterres for an immediate cessation of hostilities during his speech at the UN Security Council.

Guterres' remark infuriated Israeli diplomats, including Cohen who said "there is no cause for this."

"We join the call of the UN Secretary General, hopefully, for a cessation of hostilities or for non-targeting as much as possible of civilians," DFA Undersecretary Eduardo Jose de Vega told reporters.

Fluss said the Israeli government was keeping in touch with the Philippine government in the repatriation of remains of four Filipinos killed by Hamas during its surprise attack on Oct. 7. Israel is also helping to locate the two missing Filipinos, he added.

"We are in close coordination with the Philippine government," he said.

Meanwhile, Fluss also defended Israel's actions against Hamas amid criticisms on its supposed "proportionality."

He said proportionality is not about matching the number of people killed by Hamas in Israel.

"Proportionality is when you're attacking, you're attacking reasonably enough, which is part of your goals in the war, and you do it in a measured way," he said.

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Ilan Fluss Department of Foreign Affairs CEASEFIRE
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