Makabayan bloc urges House to condemn Israel’s attacks vs Palestinians

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 29) — The Makabayan bloc urged the House of Representatives to express its firm disapproval regarding Israel’s attacks and discrimination against Palestinians following the Philippines' decision to abstain from the United Nation’s (UN) call to provide an “immediate humanitarian truce” between Israel and militant group Hamas.

«We in the Makabayan bloc support the call for an immediate humanitarian truce for Israel to stop its indiscriminate attacks on civilians because it also endangers our OFWs (overseas Filipino workers),” House Deputy Minority Leader and ACT Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro said in a resolution.

The Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed that four OFWs were killed in the war.

The Philippines is among the 45 member states that abstained from the UN’s resolution, while 120 voted in favor and 14 were against.

“In regard of this Philippine interest, we supported Canada’s proposal to achieve more balance in the draft, with a factual reference to, and condemnation of, the 7 October terrorist attacks by Hamas that killed many innocent civilians including Filipinos working and living in Israel,” it said on Saturday.

READ: PH abstains from UN call for ‘humanitarian truce’ in Israel-Hamas war

As of Oct. 17, over 1,400 deaths were recorded in Israel and more than 3,000 casualties were logged in Gaza.

The Makabayan bloc said the Philippines’ reason to abstain was wrong since it failed to cite the long history of the Israel-Hamas conflict.

“Di uubra na i-condemn ang ginawang pag-atake ng Hamas noong Oktubre 7 pero hindi sasabihin ang ugat nito na inagaw ang kanilang lupain at halos araw-araw silang inaatake ng Israel,» Castro said.

[Translation: It is not proper to condemn the attack of Hamas on October 7 without including the root cause of the attack, which is the seizure of their land and Israel's constant attack on Palestinians.]

According to the resolution, Israel now controls 85% of historic Palestine, contrary to its 55% allocation under the UN Partition Plan.

Earlier this week, Israel advised Palestinians to move to the south of the Gaza Strip, as they may be identified as Hamas sympathizers if