Controversial Philippines President Says ‘Supposed To Go To Israel’ — Not U.S.
Image by Wikipedia
(JTA) — The president of the Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte, told President Donald Trump that he may not be able to visit the White House because he is “supposed to go to” Israel and Russia.
Responding to Trump’s invitation on Saturday to visit the United States, Duterte said on Monday, “I cannot make any definite promise. I’m supposed to go to Russia; I’m also supposed to go to Israel,” The New York Times reported.
Also on Monday Israel’s Foreign Ministry said that there was no set date for Duterte’s visit, which he had reportedly been planning since last month, The Times of Israel reported.
Trump drew criticism for inviting Duterte, who is accused of ordering extrajudicial killings as part of his war on drugs.
“Remaining silent on his disgusting human rights record, sends a terrifying message,” said John Sifton, the Asia director of Human Rights Watch, according to Reuters.
In September, Duterte was condemned by Israeli leaders and Jewish groups for comparing his campaign to eliminate drug use in his country to the Holocaust, saying he would like to kill millions of drug dealers and users.
I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning journalism this Passover.
In this age of misinformation, our work is needed like never before. We report on the news that matters most to American Jews, driven by truth, not ideology.
At a time when newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall. That means for the first time in our 126-year history, Forward journalism is free to everyone, everywhere. With an ongoing war, rising antisemitism, and a flood of disinformation that may affect the upcoming election, we believe that free and open access to Jewish journalism is imperative.
Readers like you make it all possible. Right now, we’re in the middle of our Passover Pledge Drive and we still need 300 people to step up and make a gift to sustain our trustworthy, independent journalism.
Make a gift of any size and become a Forward member today. You’ll support our mission to tell the American Jewish story fully and fairly.
— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO
Join our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
Only 300 more gifts needed by April 30
