MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte accepted the invitation of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to visit Israel, Malacañang announced on Tuesday.
Duterte was scheduled to visit the Middle Eastern country from Sept. 2 to 5, Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque Jr. said.
He will meet with the Israeli President Reuven Rivlin to “enhance bilateral relations and people-to-people ties” between the Philippines and Israel.
Both leaders will exchange views on issues relating to labor, tourism, trade, agriculture, counterterrorism, and security and law enforcement, said the Palace official.
“A business delegation representing different sectors of the Philippine economy will join the visit and participate in a business forum to be keynoted by the President,” Roque said. “Several agreements are expected to be signed during the visit.”
Duterte was also set to meet with the Filipino community in Israel.
“The official visit will be the first by a Philippine president since diplomatic ties were established between the two countries 61 years ago in 1957,” said Roque.
“The historic visit will highlight the enduring friendship between Filipinos and Israelis, which began when President Manuel L. Quezon opened the doors of the Philippines as a sanctuary to an estimated 1,300 Jewish refugees who were fleeing the Holocaust,” he added./PN
