PH-Israel friendship monument to rise in QC

A Philippines-Israel friendship monument will soon be unveiled at Quezon Memorial Circle to mark the two countries’ shared history and the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations.

Israeli Ambassador to the Philippines Ephraim Ben Matityau said the monument is in partnership with the Quezon City government, the President Elpidio Quirino Foundation, the President Manuel Roxas Foundation, and the University of the Philippines College of Fine Arts.

Speaking at the 70th Israel National Day celebration over the weekend, Israel’s top diplomat in Manila said the monument in Quezon Memorial Circle is the ‘most symbolic of places’ to establish the memorial.

Saved Jews

He said that alongside their National Day fete is the commemoration of a great moral victory of the Philippines 80 years ago when President Manuel Quezon established the open door policy that allowed the entry of about 1,300 Jewish people who escaped from the Holocaust in Europe.

“As a result, 1,300 Jewish people were saved by this country from the Holocaust; 1,300 hundred generations were born ever since; among them – many Filipino families, created by those refugees who decided to stay and establish themselves in this country,” the Israeli envoy said.

He noted that some of the descendants of those refugees opted to stay in the Philippines, serving as a great bridge of friendship between our countries and peoples.

In support of Israel

Now on his fourth and last year as ambassador to Manila, Matityau also remembered when the Philippines joined 33 other countries in supporting the establishment of the State of Israel at the United Nations General Assembly on November 29, 1947.

“The last event in our jubilees celebration took place 60 years ago when we signed our Friendship Treaty… and Friendship is the marking of our relations. Friends in need are friends indeed is our way of cooperation; which among others, led our two countries to abolish visa requirements already back in 1969. You opened the gates and hearts to our people, we open our gates to you,” he said.

In 2009, Israel facilitated the unveiling of an attractive and imposing “Open Doors” monument in Rishon Lezion Memorial Park just outside Tel Aviv designed by renowned Filipino artist Luis Yee.

The Israel–Philippines bilateral ties were established upon the signing of the Treaty of Friendship on February 26, 1958 by then acting Foreign Affairs Secretary Felixberto Serrano and Israel’s Head of Mission Daniel Lewin.