Political columnist Mortz C. Ortigoza interviewed recently Israeli Ambassador to the Philippines His Excellency Ilan Fluss. The Ambassador – a former naval officer wore a skullcap or kippah - was accompanied by Consul Moti Cohen when they visited the office of Binmaley Mayor Pete Merrera in Pangasinan. The envoys were in the town to attend the internment of Hamas terrorists murdered caregiver Angelyn Peralta Aguirre,33. EXCERPTS:
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| Israel Amb. Ilan Fluss interviews by Mortz C. Ortigoza. |
MORTZ C. ORTIGOZA (MCO): Your Excellency, I'm an avid student of Israel history. From the war against the Arabs in the 1948 Partition, the 1967 Six Days War to the 1973 Yom Kippur War, was the attack of Islamic militants (that killed more than 1,200 Jews) last October 7 the worst that happened in your country?
AMB. ILAN FLUSS (AIF): It is not the worst which happened in our country compared to those wars, it is the worst attack in our country as the number of casualties in one day since the Holocaust. If we can share the footages of murdering (by Hamas) of the entire families, parents and their children burning in their cars, beheading of babies, beheading of adult (sic) soldiers, butchering innocent people, family, civilians. So these were the atrocities Israel has not seen before. Hamas (wanted) to destroy the State of Israel and to murder all Jews and all Israelis and Hamas is not alone. Hamas is supported by Islamic Jihads and it is supported by Hezbollah which controls Southern Lebanon which is bordering (the) northern part of Israel. They are all supported by Iran which has the same ideology.
MCO: U S State Secretary Antony Blinken is in Jordan today talking with the Arab world's leaders about the bombings of Israel in Gaza City that saw almost 10,000 dead mostly civilian Palestinians. People around the world have been demonstrating in the streets their anger against the Israelis because of these carnages. If U.S President Joe Biden (aside from the yearly $3.8 billion military aid to Israel, Biden requested U.S Congress this year $14.3 billion mostly in arms for Tel Aviv) asks your country to have ceasefire, would you stop your ground troops inside Gaza City?
AIF: This is purely…. and President Biden is not asking for ceasefire. Will be discussing on humanitarian corridors different other means in order to make it for the civilians. Unfortunately, Hamas is using the civilians as human shields as human shields they were forced to stay in the military zone. We have more than 230 hostages that have been kidnapped Israelis and non- Israelis that to be released by Hamas that nobody seen them for the last month. No. 2, Israel will not allow to have been attacked by Hamas again -- which means no more terror facilities which should be on our border. We cannot accept Hamas on our border and this is supported by the international community. U.S is a very close ally and is trying to help for some of the resolutions. It’s too early to say what’s going to be and what’s going to be the pressure. We really hope to achieve as soon as possible to end this war and to bring peace and development for the Israelis and Palestinians alike. The war is not against the Palestinians. The war is against Hamas which launched this attack.
MCO: What were the benefits from the Israeli government of the four Filipinos killed by Hamas in your country?
AIF: The family also get the benefits and assistance from the Israeli government. Assistance for burial, assistance for the wake and also later for the monthly basis they will be getting income for their parents, their husbands, (and) children. They will be getting monthly income I’ll show to you later the figure they will be getting monthly income from the Israeli government. They will be getting too also special assistance/allowances for medical treatment, for education.
NOTE: On a list of benefits given by Israel Ambassador to the Philippines Fluss to Binmaley Mayor Merrera, the monetary benefits are the following:
Burial and Mourning Expenses
Mourning
expenses: P112,476.00
Widowhood
grant: 80,780.00
Participation in burial expenses: 72,800.00
Maintenance of the grave:
50,442.00 (Once in every 5 years)
TOTAL: 316,498.00
Monthly
Benefits
For spouse or common law
partner
P134,749.44 (Amount can be higher
depending on the number of children)
For bereaved parents
(combined) 118,297.06
For single parent 94,637.65
Annual Benefits
Annual convalescence grant
P50,288.00
Memorial grant 14,182.00
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