October 7 for the Filipinos in Israel
October 7 was such a terrible blow for Israelis that it’s easy to forget how many nationals of other countries who lived there were victims and/or heroes, too. Here is a video about Filipinos in Israel, most of whom were employed as caretakers for elderly Israelis:
Just as we in the US tend to forget that there were other Nationals that died on 9/11.
None should be forgotten.
Also a lot of Thais, who worked in agriculture.
Ilana:
Indeed. I think the news about the Thais on October 7 was much more widely known, though.
I knew about the Thais, and also about the Filipino caretakers. Tragic.
The Filipinos have had a problem with Muslims since the tide of conquest and desolation that is Islam washed up on their southern islands.
David –
Correct. The terrorist group with the unintentionally amusing acronym – the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) – operates in the Philippines.
Yeah the Muslim Moros were and are a problem in the Philippines, practicing slavery in the past anyway. The Browning M1911 helped deal with some of them in the early 20 the century.
I was semi-adopted by a Filipino family when I was in my 20s. I’ve never forgotten their generosity.
yes the precursors were the juramentados, roughly the Hassasheen, of the region, to whom Pershing issued those apocryphal bullets with pig grease,
Filipinos are preponderant in the work forces of the Gulf States like Dubai and Qatar
Filipinos seem to have a lot of hustle. I admire them.
I had a coworker I was good friends with. She and her husband were from the Philippines. They were wonderful, and their whole family more or less adopted me. (Not so much the kids — they were more Americanized, though still very hard workers who excelled in school.)
We just drifted apart after I left my job and moved across country. We’re still Facebook friends, and I’m sure if I knocked on her door, they’d welcome me with open arms.
a lot of Filipinos work the Cruise lines, as do Eastern Europeans. They are spread out over the world, sending money home. They go home when their contracts are over.
Has the Biden administration ever simply demanded that Hamas release all hostages?
My last assignment with the State Dept was 3 years in Manila. You are all correct, truly, as a group the nicest people I have ever met. Exceptions everywhere, though, of course.
Earlier this year I flew back to the PI for a vacation, and flew through Saudi Arabia. When getting a coffee at the airport in Riyadh I asked the young man helping me if he was filipino, and he asked me how I knew. I told him it was because he was too nice to be Saudi!
When I was stationed at Cubi Point in the PI, I met many Filipinos who worked on the base. They are the
Salt of the Earth. They will go anywhere to work and earn money for their families. And will do it with a smile and good will. It’s not surprising they were in Israel doing what they do so well. God bless them.
J.J. and Telemachus,
My experience also. I have worked in 18 foreign countries and Filipinos were the nicest culture of all 18. People were so friendly it was disconcerting at times. And that’s coming from an American!
https://twitter.com/LeeSmithDC/status/1768085897101426900