Israel readies for upcoming visit of Philippines President
JERUSALEM (AP) – Israel is gearing up for a visit from the Philippines president, who in the past compared his bloody anti-drug crackdown to Hitler and the Holocaust.
A government statement Friday said Rodrigo Duterte will meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and tour the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial early next week.
Duterte drew outrage in 2016 when he compared his anti-drug campaign to the Nazi genocide of Jews in World War II and said he would be “happy to slaughter” 3 million addicts. He later apologized.
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte salutes at the Tomb-of-the-Unknown-Soldier during wreath-laying rites to mark National Heroes Day at the Heroes Cemetery Monday, Aug. 27, 2018, in suburban Taguig city east Manila, Philippines. Duterte last week said he opposed an offer by the U.S. defense chief and other top American officials to buy F-16 fighter jets, saying such an acquisition would be “utterly useless” because his country needs lighter combat aircraft to fight insurgents. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)
Duterte, a 73-year-old former government prosecutor, denies condoning extrajudicial killings but has openly threatened drug dealers with death.
Philippine police say more than 4,500 suspects have been killed in anti-drug raids since Duterte took office in 2016. Rights groups say the death toll is much higher.
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