Israel says PH ties stronger than ever

THE government of Israel on Tuesday said it remains committed to delivering its promise of helping shape a better future for the Philippines. Israel's Ambassador to Manila Ilan Fluss gave this assurance, saying relations between the two nations remain robust and stronger than ever. "We are in full force in promoting the relations between Israel and the Philippines, and I can tell you that last year we extended our programs in the Philippines," Fluss said in an exclusive interview with The Manila Times. These programs include the sending of interns to Israel to learn more about agriculture productivity and food security, provision of scholarships to qualified college-age Filipinos to earn a degree in childhood development, and the bringing in of Israeli technologies to the country "that are very relevant to the challenges here in the Philippines" focused on specific sectors such as agriculture, water and cybersecurity. People-to-people exchange is also a focal point, with Israel looking to send more tourists to the Philippines and vice versa. Israel also continues to play a vital role in the capability enhancement and modernization of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) by being one of the sources of cutting-edge defense technologies -- air defense systems, modern light tanks, fast patrol boats, drones, and advanced communication technologies. "In all the different branches of the AFP there are Israeli systems and technologies that are integrated, and I am very proud of it. Israel is really one of the global leaders in developing and adjusting systems to the current needs," Fluss said. "We also did some seminars where we shared our experiences, and we are happy to do more. Sharing the experiences of Israel, the threats we faced and how we responded, and the Philippine side has found it extremely interesting," he added. The Philippines has military agreements with the United States, Japan, Australia, South Korea, and soon, Canada. A similar pact with Israel, however, is not feasible at the moment given that by law, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) is only "allowed to protect Israel in action and are not allowed to be in action in other places." Add to that the fact that the IDF is "currently fighting seven fronts simultaneously." "We're still in a war and busy protecting Israelis," Fluss said. All these initiatives, among others, the envoy pointed out, are borne out of Israel's deep-seated gratitude to the Philippines for being the only country to open its doors to refugees during the Holocaust. "The Philippines is a country I am so proud of because of its legacy. President [Manuel] Quezon allowed 1,300 Jews to escape Europe from the Nazis in 1938-39. That's part of the heritage; that's a pride of the Philippines. Also, as Israel's ambassador to the Philippines, I'm proud of it. I always talk about it," Fluss said. "Israel views the Philippines as a friendly country. I look forward to continuing to expand and deepening the ties between the two countries. I believe we can create partnerships which would make life better for Filipinos," he added.