Israeli citizens should respect local laws, communities - Amb. Kursh

Amid growing concerns of alleged misconduct among Israeli tourists in Siargao, Israel Ambassador to the Philippines Dana Kursh said "The Embassy expects all Israeli citizens to respect local laws, regulations, and the communities they visit."

"We do not condone behavior that disrespects local laws or communities," Kursh said during a virtual meeting with more than 70 Siargao business owners held earlier this month.

At the virtual dialogue with Israel Consul Moti Cohen, Kursh affirmed the Embassy's commitment to continued dialogue with local stakeholders and acknowledged the ongoing public discussions including on social media about the behavior of some Israeli visitors in Siargao.

"Yes, she affirmed her stance that if there are misbehaving Israeli citizens, to arrest them. That they're working with the LGU (local government unit) to catch perpetrators," Belle Diesta, a resident of General Luna, who was present at the virtual meeting, told GMA News Online

"Pero sinabi rin niya (But she also said) that they don't have any powers because this is within the scope and responsibilities of the PNP (Philippine National Police) so they are relying on PNP to solve that. They are not going to interfere," Diesta continued.

The online meeting took place following Kursh's visit to General Luna, Siargao, where a scheduled in-person with the local business community was canceled "due to coordination and protocol considerations."

Still, Kursh was able to meet with local officials including General Luna Mayor Johnson Y. Sajulga and Vice Mayor Dr. Romina Rusillon-Sajulga. During that meeting, Kursh said: "If individuals are misbehaving or violating local laws, the proper authorities should address the matter through the appropriate legal process.”

According to Kursh, she flew to Siargao "because we care about Siargao, its people, its future and its reputation as a world-class tourism and surfing destination."

“Our intention in visiting Siargao was to listen, to learn, and to strengthen cooperation with the local government, communities, and the business sector," she added.

Concerns about misbehaving Israeli tourists in Siargao have started to go viral on social media. According to Diesta, it was "after the war erupted in the Middle East — October 7, 2023 — when we started noticing the increase of incidents involving the demographic of Israeli young tourists."

"Every day there are mini aggressions that we experience. It’s a reality for a lot of us" she added, saying there have been many instances "when nagkaroon ng (there was) confrontation."

"Mga fist fights, and reklamo about misbehaviors like non-payment, tumatakbo sa bayad. Nakain na 'yung pagkain, hindi nagbabayad. Ang dami nang incidents," Diesta said.

(Fist fights, and complaints about misbehaviors like non-payment. They leave without paying for the food they ate. There were many incidents already.)

'Press charges'

In an interview with local radio station Brigada, Kursh said, "If nobody presses charges, we cannot do anything about it. The chief police can't do anything about it, and of course not me."

"I heard from one of your captains of the Barangay — she gave us 5 incidents. Two of them about noise, one about an Israeli who robbed her bike. What we encourage is for her to press charges," Kursh continued, adding "we are very clear about that."

According to Kursh, she was told about a 10 p.m. curfew.

"So what we will do now, I'm going to have a video in Hebrew, to spread it around all Israelis that are coming in the future to be tourists here, and who are here and I will ask them to behave and respect the laws of the place and be accountable for their own actions. If not, I will encourage the relevant Filipinos to address the authorities," she said.

Earlier in May, the Department of Tourism (DOT) released a statement saying all tourists are welcome "so long as they come with respect."

"We stand in defense of Siargao's tourism, but more than that, we stand in defense of Filipino dignity and welfare," they added.

"Our message is simple: You are welcome in the Philippines. Be a good guest, honor the Filipino people and the Filipino people will honor you back even more," the DOT said as it asked the public "to not paint an entire race or nationality with the same brush."

"The actions of a few do not speak for the many, the DOT added.

In her statement, Kursh echoed the DOT, emphasizing that isolated incidents should not define an entire community of visitors.

"The vast majority of Israeli travelers visit the Philippines to appreciate its culture and natural beauty, support local businesses, and build positive relationships with local communities," she said.

But Diesta asked, "How many of these individual incidents does it take before it becomes a serious problem or a pattern? Each time, we are told to wait, to be calm. Meanwhile incidents keep happening," Diesta said.

In her radio interview, Kursh thanked the community "for raising" their concerns.

"I have an extended responsibility and I will do everything in my power to make sure those kinds of incidents will not happen, if they are happening. I came because I care," she said.

In their statement, the Embassy of Israel encouraged the public to report legitimate incidents of misconduct through proper legal channels and local authorities to ensure due process and fact-based investigation, emphasizing Philippine authorities retain jurisdiction over local legal matters.

“We respectfully hope discussions related to broader international issues will not overshadow the local reality of Siargao as a peaceful, welcoming, and community-driven destination,” Kursh said in the statement. —KG, GMA News