Israeli president lectures Philippine president on Holocaust

TEL AVIV - Israeli President Reuven Rivlin gave a brief lecture on Hitler to Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday after the Philippine leader's 2016 remarks comparing himself to the Nazi dictator who carried out the Holocaust.

"Hitler was actually representing the devil himself," Rivlin said when the two men met at his Jerusalem office. "He was the devil on earth."

Rivlin went on to say that Duterte's visit to Israel's Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial on Monday must have illustrated to him the sensitivity surrounding any reference to Adolf Hitler.

"Probably you have realised yesterday the feelings when you have visited the museum of Yad Vashem in Jerusalem, to really feel the atmosphere, to feel the feelings of all the people that were part of this disaster," said Rivlin, whose position is mainly ceremonial.

Duterte appeared to be listening attentively during Rivlin's brief comments. He later spoke about trade and cooperation with Israel.

The controversial Philippine president spoke of Hitler in 2016 when talking about his violent drug crackdown that has killed thousands.

"Hitler massacred three million Jews. Now there are three million drug addicts (in the Philippines). I'd be happy to slaughter them," Duterte said then.

Historians say six million Jews died in the Holocaust.

Duterte later apologised and said the comments were aimed at critics who had likened him to the Nazi leader.

Official figures from Filipino police put the number of suspects killed in police-led anti-drug raids at more than 4,500 since Duterte took office. Rights groups put the figure much higher and say many were not involved in narcotics. 

The Philippine president is known to boast about his government's killing of civilians. This has included claiming that he has shot at people in the streets and that he once pushed a man out of a helicopter.

A report submitted to the International Criminal Court last year laid out evidence that Duterte has been responsible for “extrajudicial executions and mass murder” ever since he began his war on drugs as mayor of Davao in 1988.

This prompted the ICC to launch an ongoing inquiry into the allegations of crimes against humanity leveled at Duterte.

Preferred weapons

According to Rivlin's office, Duterte also told Rivlin his preferred source of military equipment was from Israel.

According to Philippine and Israeli media, Duterte will be accompanied by a delegation of members of the Philippine army and police to view a display of advanced weapons and equipment, and to study current developments in the Israeli arms industry.

Duterte has brought with him to Israel a large delegation of around 400 people, including the defense minister, other cabinet ministers and over 150 business people. 

A few dozen people opposed to arms sales to the Philippines protested outside the presidential compound in Jerusalem during the meeting.

"We're protesting against Israel's involvement in the crimes taking place there," lawyer and human rights activist Eitay Mack said.

Although Israel prefers to obscure the scope of its military exports, news reports in the Philippines have disclosed many such transfers in the past. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government sold the Philippines radar and anti-tank equipment worth $20m in 2017.

Further arms deals were expected to be part of Duterte's discussions in Israel.

Duterte met Netanyahu on Monday, when he publicly thanked the Israeli leader for his "critical help" in ending a five-month siege by Islamist rebels in the southern Philippine city of Marawi. It was the first time he publicly acknowledged Israel's help over the incident in 2017.

Duterte is the latest in a list of  politicians with which Netanyahu has developed relations that have concerned Jewish communities in Israel and abroad, including some that many Jews consider to be outright antisemites.

This includes the populist, anti-immigrant Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orbán and US evangelicals who believe those of the Jewish faith will go to hell if they do not convert.

On Wednesday, Duterte will inaugurate a memorial near Tel Aviv commemorating the Philippines' acceptance of 1,300 Jews fleeing the Holocaust.

The signing of an oil exploration license, that is being granted to the Israeli-owned company Ratio Petroleum, is also on the agenda, as is the signing of an agreement designed to improve the conditions for the 30,000 Philippine citizens working in Israel.