Israel has assured the safety of foreign civilians, including of Filipinos, there and in other parts of the Middle East as Tel Aviv continues to fight threats from rebel groups Hamas, Hezbollah and Houthi as well as from Iran, which are now spiraling into a regional tension.
Israeli Ambassador to the Philippines Ilan Fluss told Manila Bulletin Tuesday, Oct. 8, that the Israeli government is ensuring the safety of Filipinos in Israel, which for exactly a year now has been facing continued attacks from Hamas.
Other rebel groups, such as the Yemen-based Houthis and Lebanon-based Hezbollah, as well as Iran also started launching missiles on Israel, among other attacks.
Iran was the first country to hit Israel as a state.
"In Israel, we have 28,000 Filipinos and we are taking care of the safety and security of everybody," Fluss said.
"Israelis and Filipinos, they get the same protection as same as the Israelis," he added.
Recently, Israel started its "limited ground operation" in Lebanon, particularly in the south where Hezbollah has bases.
About a thousand were killed while a million individuals were displaced due to Israel's retaliation against Lebanon, the Lebanese government said.
As the Philippine government is also concerned of the safety of over 10,000 Filipinos in Lebanon due to a possible escalation of tension, Fluss said Filipinos there will be safe as long as they do not get close to Hezbollah.
"The IDF (Israel Defense Forces) is not targeting civilians, is not targeting people who are not involved. We announce where we are going to attack, and we call on uninvolved civilians to move to other places," Fluss said.
"So there's no secrets where we're attacking. We're only attacking Hezbollah facilities and Hezbollah sites. As long as nobody's there, there's no danger," he added.
Tel Aviv's envoy also said Israel has no plans of invading Lebanon. It only wants to clear the area of threats from Hezbollah and is hoping that another force would take over the border, he added.
The Philippine government recently called on parties involved in the Middle East conflict to exercise restraint, and Fluss responded by saying Israel is "very happy" and "willing" to do so "if somebody can find a way to remove the threat of Hezbollah diplomatically."
In a press briefing, Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Undersecretary Eduardo Jose de Vega maintained that the Philippines' position remains: that it always calls for international law to be complied with, including the rule of proportionality and non-use of force.
"So hindi namin kinakampihan ang Hezbollah dito (We're not siding with the Hezollah), we don't want Israel to think that. But neither would we approve or would we be happy about actions that breach of the peace," De Vega said.
"If they mean they want the Philippines to condemn the Hezbollah, eventually we will discuss the issues with the Israelis and other parties. Gusto lang namin i-de-escalate ang (We just want to de-escalate the) tension," he added.
Filipino hostage by Hamas awarded
Meanwhile, at a lunch reception hosted by Fluss, he awarded Jimmy Pachecho, a Filipino caregiver who was held hostage by Hamas for 49 years, with a “recognition of released hostage,” which would provide the latter a lifetime incentive from the Israeli government.
The award is in line with Israeli law on Released Captives Payment.
In an interview, Pacheco disclosed he was being invited to the United Nations to recount his ordeal and serve as a witness against Hamas, but he refused to grant such a request.
He also said he has moved on from what happened and is undergoing therapy provided by the Israeli government.
Another Filipino survivor of the Hamas' attack, Camille Jesalva, was also present at the reception.
Jesalva was the Filipino caregiver who negotiated with Hamas during the attack to save her 95-year-old employer. She is now being tagged by the Israeli government as an unsung hero.
Jesalva's story was also in the newly-published book "One Day in October," where she recounted her ordeal during the Oct. 7 Hamas' attack.
"I feel proud to be Filipino, because I'm the only one Filipino and the most moving story," she told Manila Bulletin.