Israeli envoy: We will aid Filipino victims of Middle East conflict

Israel’s envoy to the Philippines on Tuesday assured that Israel remains committed to providing aid to Filipino victims of the conflict in the Middle East.

In an interview during the launch of the Isha Women’s Center at the Rizal Medical Center, Israeli ambassador to Manila Dana Kursh recalled the six Israel-based Filipino victims of the conflict since October 7, 2023.

Most recently, Kursh personally delivered aid to the family of OFW Mary Ann de Vera in Pangasinan.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said de Vera, a caregiver, was killed in an airstrike while she was helping her employer get to a bomb shelter.

“Mary Ann de Vera, is part and parcel of Israel, and her family are part and parcel of Israel, not just of the Philippines. She is an OFW that selflessly sacrificed her own security to the elderly that she was taking care of, and was hit by Iranian missiles, and unfortunately lost her life. Once that is happening, the Israeli government is automatically deciding that the family will be considered casualty of war or casualty of terrorist attacks,” Kursh said.

The Israeli envoy added that Israel does not distinguish between Israeli victims and Filipino victims of the war, and that de Vera’s family will receive adequate assistance from them.

Kursh said the same aid will be provided for the families of the other five victims.

She also lauded the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) and the Overseas Workers Welfare Association (OWWA) for their efforts to bring home Filipinos safely amid the Middle East conflict.

“I think I would like to salute the Filipino government from the President and, of course, two entities that are working night and day and day and night to save lives of all OFWs in the Middle East… They are trying to bring back home the people who want to repatriate. I’m proudly saying that from Israel, just a few want to repatriate because they feel safe enough in Israel because they feel that they are part and parcel of Israel as well,” the envoy said.

“The partnership between Israel and the Philippines is based on resilience… We will endure together this phase of pain, of the tragedy of losing life, and God willing, we’ll be able to dedicate and focus on health issues and on how do we better the life of humankind at large and women health in the future and not dealing with war, unfortunately,” Kursh added. — JMA, GMA Integrated News