At a recent meeting in Malacañang, the focus was on the violent attack carried out by Hamas, a Palestinian militant group, on Israeli communities. The primary concern was to determine if any Filipinos had been harmed and if they needed assistance. Another important topic of discussion was the potential impact this conflict and the expected retaliation could have on our economy and political relations.
While it may seem selfish and narrow-minded to only consider our domestic problems in light of this global conflict, it is understandable given the pressing issues we face. The fluctuating price of oil, in particular, has been a major concern for our economic managers. As we rely heavily on oil from the Middle East, any escalation of the conflict could worsen our economic troubles in various ways. However, according to Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan, the impact on the Philippines has been minimal thus far.
Our involvement with Israel and Palestine, in terms of labor, trade, and investment, is relatively insignificant, as Balisacan pointed out. While around 30,000 Filipinos work in Israel, mainly as caregivers, even Gaza, which is currently under a total Israeli siege and run by Hamas, employs 131 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs). Comparatively, our presence in the rest of the Middle East exceeds one million. Nonetheless, this highlights the scale and reach of the OFW phenomenon and how it connects us to other nations, making it crucial for us to care about the situation in Israel and Palestine, beyond our own concerns.
Caring means understanding the complex history of this conflict, including the colonial forces that played a role in its inception, the pursuit of a homeland, and the complicated past that has brought Israelis and Palestinians to their current state. It also means recognizing ourselves in the struggles of other people who have faced similar subjugation under colonialism, with the hope of gaining a better understanding of ourselves.
To care is to go beyond the language of war and seek realistic paths to peace. It entails providing meaningful assistance and solidarity to the innocent civilians who suffer the consequences of their leaders’ actions. In addition to popular movies and TV shows, there are many informative documentaries available online that shed light on the background events leading to the current Israeli-Palestinian impasse. It is important to approach these documentaries with a critical mindset and cross-reference information from multiple sources to gain a more comprehensive understanding.
To truly comprehend the conflicting emotions that drive this dispute, it is necessary to read powerful speeches, like the funeral oration given by the Israeli military leader and politician Moshe Dayan. This can be juxtaposed with the declarations of the Hamas Covenant to gain insight into the opposing perspectives and the challenges of achieving peace.
Amidst the bleakness, there are individuals on both sides who possess the capacity to view the conflict from the other’s perspective, and they may hold the key to finding common ground.
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