Philippines leader Duterte eyes arms trade on visit to Israel

Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte in April with Israeli-made Galil rifle. Photo / AP file

Rodrigo Duterte, the Philippine President, left for a visit to Israel and Jordan, as his nation pivots away from a long-time reliance on American military hardware and support.

The four-day visit to Israel will be the first by a Philippine leader in more than 60 years of diplomatic ties between the two nations, the Daily Telegraph reports.

Duterte, accompanied by an entourage including soldiers and police, will sit down with Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli Prime Minister, and hold an event with some of the thousands of Filipino migrant workers in Israel.

Duterte has become notorious for controversial statements - including likening himself to Hitler - and his internationally condemned drug crackdown that has killed thousands.

"We assign great importance to this visit, which symbolises the strong, warm ties between our two peoples," Israel's Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Duterte has led the Philippines away from the US, its former colonial master, and towards closer diplomatic and business ties with China and Russia.

The US and Canada have both seen military hardware deals fall apart with the Philippines due to concerns over Duterte's drug war. But so far sales with Israel have gone smoothly.

"(The visit) is for President Duterte to look for an alternative market for... weapons for our armed forces as well as for the police," Henelito Sevilla, an international relations expert at the University of the Philippines, told AFP.

Israel is among the world's top arms dealers, with nearly 60 per cent of its defence exports going to the Asia-Pacific region, according to Israeli Defence Ministry data.

The Philippines emerged as a significant new customer in 2017 for Israel, with sales of radar and anti-tank equipment worth US$21 million.

Manila says the trip is expected to yield agreements on defence as well as labour, which is one of the Philippines' top exports.

Some 10 million Filipinos work abroad and send home money - a lifeline for the economy. Manila is keen to sign agreements on protections for the workers.

Although the Philippines has a special bond with Israelis for giving refuge to some 1300 Jews fleeing the Holocaust, Duterte drew global condemnation for comparing himself to Hitler in 2016.

"Hitler massacred three million Jews. Now there are three million drug addicts (in the Philippines). I'd be happy to slaughter them," he said. Six million Jews were killed in the Holocaust.

Duterte later apologised for his remarks, which he said were aimed at critics who had likened him to the Nazi leader.

Just over a year later the Philippines abstained from a UN vote rebuking the US for moving its embassy to Jerusalem. Palestinians see the eastern part of the disputed city as the capital of their future state.

Duterte today expressed support for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Duterte heads to Jordan on Wednesday where he is expected to meet King Abdullah II.