Israeli president lectures Duterte on Hitler

ISRAEL’S President Reuven Rivlin gave a 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 t he feelings when you have v isited the museum of Yad Vashem in Jerusalem, to rea lly feel t he atmosphere, to feel t he feelings of a ll t he pe ople t hat were pa r t of t h i s d i s a ster,” s a id R i v l i n, whose posit ion i s ma i n l y ceremonial.

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

The cont roversia l Phi l ippine president spoke of Hitler in 2016 when ta l k ing about his v iolent dr ug crackdow n t hat has k illed t housands.

“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.

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

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 r ights activist Eitay Mack said.

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

Duterte met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday.

On Wed nes day, he w i l l inaugurate a memorial near Tel Av i v c om memorat i ng the acceptance of 1,300 Jews f leeing t he Holocaust by t he Philippines.