Ambassador apologizes for Nazi remark
Philippine Ambassador to Israel Antonio Modena summoned to Foreign Ministry director-general’s office and asked to apologize for comparing Israeli police to Gestapo
JERUSALEM - Philippine Ambassador to Israel Antonio Modena set off a firestorm when he compared the dealings of foreign workers by Israel's immigration police to the treatment of Jews by the Nazis in World War Two.
“The immigration police have forgotten the history of the nation of Israel. They behave like the Nazis behaved to ward the Jews,” he told a local newspaper affilitated with Yedioth Ahronoth. He later apologized for his remarks after being summoned by the foreign ministry.
"I understand it was a mistake, being that this is a country born to prevent a second Holocaust, and the nation of the survivors (of the Nazi Holocaust)," Modena told Ynet. "I apologize to those who were offended by the remark and I also made it clear to the foreign ministry."
The director-general of the ministry Ron Prosor had said earlier that the foreign minister was “angry and amazed” by his comments. In what was described as a “serious and unusual” meeting, Prosor said the ambasssador’s statements had crossed a red line.
Disciplinary options
Prosor had said that if Modena did not apologize, the foreign ministry would take serious diplomatic action, saying "I could declare Modena persona non grata and ask him to leave the country."
“It worries me very much that a senior diplomat and ambassador, serving in Israel for the past year could be so offensive and hurtful regarding a topic so close to the heart of the Jewish nation,” Prosor added.
Nevertheless, Foreign Ministry officials had said they hoped the matter would be solved without a diplomatic incident, noting that Jerusalem has good ties with Manila.
