Kuwait expels Philippine envoy amid tensions over domestic workers

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Ambassador Renato Villa speaks during a press conference at the Philippine Embassy in Kuwait City on April 21, 2018. (AFP / YASSER AL-ZAYYAT)
Updated 26 April 2018
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Kuwait expels Philippine envoy amid tensions over domestic workers

  • Kuwait calls back its Ambassador in Manila amid workers dispute
  • Kuwait police arrested two Filipinos earlier this week over helping maids flee their employers

MANILA: Kuwait on Wednesday expelled the Philippine ambassador and recalled its own envoy from Manila over a growing diplomatic dispute sparked by complaints of the abuse of Filipino housemaids and workers in the country.
In a statement,  Kuwait’s Foreign Ministry said it had declared Ambassador Renato Villa, who it previously summoned twice, persona non grata and had ordered him to leave Kuwait within a week.
The latest move followed Kuwait’s arrest of two Philippine Embassy personnel in Kuwait City last weekend for allegedly encouraging maids to flee their employers’ homes if they are being abused.
Kuwait’s Foreign Ministry accused the Philippines’ mission of a “flagrant and grave breach of rules and regulations that govern diplomatic action where staff helped Filipino house helpers run away.”
Local media earlier quoted Villa as saying his embassy moves in to help abused maids if Kuwaiti authorities fail to respond within 24 hours. Online video later surfaced purportedly showing a Filipino from the embassy helping one maid flee.

The Philippines called Kuwait’s decision “deeply disturbing,” saying it “reneged” on an earlier agreement to work together.

Manila said the expulsion of Villa comes as a surprise considering that Philippine Foreign Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano had issued a formal apology to Kuwait and that Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte had also offered a public apology during a meeting with Kuwaiti Ambassador Musaed Saleh Ahmad Althwaikh in Manila.
“In discussions at every level with Kuwait, the Philippines has always emphasized that the wellbeing of Filipino nationals wherever they may be will always be of paramount importance,” the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs said in a statement on Wednesday.
“The protection of the rights and the promotion of the welfare of Filipinos abroad would always be the guiding principle of the Philippines in its relationship with countries around the world, including Kuwait,” it added.

The two nations had been negotiating an end to the Philippines’ ban on workers from heading there following the shocking discovery in February of a Filipino maid Joanna Demafelis stuffed into a freezer in Kuwait City for over a year.
In late March, Lebanese officials said 40-year-old Lebanese national Nader Essam Assaf confessed to killing the woman along with his Syrian wife, who remains at large. Both were sentenced in absentia to death by a Kuwait court early this month, though the verdict can be appealed.
But the arrest of two Filipinos associated with the embassy earlier this week over allegedly convincing maids to flee their employers’ homes and Ambassador Villa’s comments reported in local media over the effort appears to have been too much for Kuwait to accept.
“Expelling the ambassador of the Philippines is a correct measure that should have been taken when the Philippines president first started his threats,” conservative Kuwaiti lawmaker Shuaib Al-Muwaizri wrote on Twitter. “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs should not accept any offers made by the Philippines president or his foreign affairs secretary.”

Since becoming president, the populist Duterte has repeatedly criticized Kuwait for not properly addressing the abuse of Filipinos.
“I do not want a quarrel with Kuwait. I respect their leaders but they have to do something about this because many Filipinos will commit suicide,” he said in January.
There have been prominent cases of abuse of Filipino domestic workers in the past, including an incident in December 2014 where a Kuwaiti’s pet lions fatally mauled a Filipino maid.
More than 260,000 Filipinos work in Kuwait, many of them as housemaids. Kuwait and the Philippines have since been negotiating for new rules governing Filipino workers there.
Philippine officials have demanded that housemaids be allowed to hold their passports and cellphones, which is normal for skilled workers like teachers and office workers. But many Kuwaiti employers seize their phones and passports.
The Philippines is a major labor exporter across the world, especially in the Mideast, with about a tenth of more than 100 million Filipinos working abroad. The earnings they send home have bolstered the Philippine economy for decades.

Filipino migrant and recruitment expert Emmanuel Geslani urged Philippine officials to go out of their way to properly address the "diplomatic faux pax", warning that the Philippines had lost the job market in Kuwait, especially for skilled workers. 
In an interview, Geslani told Arab News that the ban has now been running for five months, resulting in more than 50,000 Filipinos losing the jobs they applied for in Kuwait.
“We should really issue an apology because we still want to achieve good relations with Kuwait,” said he said. "The government is apologizing for something which was not wrong on its part, but the way it was projected on social media was wrong.
He said the video of embassy personnel rescuing a maid should not have been posted on Facebook. "Even though what the (embassy) staff is doing (rescuing abused workers) is right, they did not have to tell the world that they’re doing it,” Geslani said.
He added that while everybody wants to have good relations, “the Philippine government is doing it all wrong by allowing the deployment ban to last more than five months.” 
Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Sabah earlier also condemned the ban saying it “will not serve the relationship” between the two countries.
It’s likely both sides want to negotiate an end to the dispute, especially ahead of the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan that begins in May. Kuwaitis particularly rely on Filipino maids and cooks during the period as they abstain from water and food during daylight hours.
“This is a clash of two rising nationalisms: the tough-guy Philippine president defending his people abroad and Kuwait resenting the insolence of a subordinate,” said Kristin Diwan, an expert on Kuwait and a senior resident scholar at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington.
“The expulsion of the ambassador is a hardball tactic on the part of Kuwait, which hopefully will lead to a negotiated settlement. Both countries ultimately benefit from this relationship.”


Europe’s tough talk on Gaza belies its thirst for Israeli weapons

Updated 8 sec ago
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Europe’s tough talk on Gaza belies its thirst for Israeli weapons

  • Israeli defense ministry figures show exports of weapons to Europe surged in 2024
  • European leaders have voiced growing anger over Gaza atrocities and threatened sanctions

LONDON: European leaders may recently have taken a tougher stance against Israel over the devastating Gaza war, but that is not reflected in their desire for Israeli weapons.

Israel’s arms exports increased by 13 percent in 2024 to a record $14.8 billion, an increase largely attributed to growing demand in Europe, according to Israel’s defense ministry figures released Wednesday.

Europe was the largest buyer, making up 54 percent of sales, a sharp increase from a 35 percent share in 2023.

Israel is among the top 10 largest arms exporters in the world and while it is dwarfed by the United States in terms of volume, its defense industry is one of the most technologically advanced.

European countries have increased defense spending to counter the threat from Russia and after pressure from the Trump administration to provide a greater contribution to the NATO alliance.

The figures show European demand has become a key new market for Israel, but there are signs that increasing opposition from countries like the UK, France, Germany and Italy to the Gaza war are affecting sales.

On Tuesday, Spain canceled a $325 million deal for anti-tank missile systems that were to be built by a subsidiary of an Israeli company. A government spokesperson said: “The goal is clear … a total disconnection from Israeli technology.”

Israel’s largest foreign defense deal was signed in September 2024 — to build an Arrow missile defense system for Germany at the cost of $4.3 billion. The system is expected to be delivered this year.

Yet even Germany, traditionally one of Israel’s closest allies, has started to condemn Israel’s Gaza operation, with Chancellor Friedrich Merz saying it “can no longer be justified.”

Israeli defense ministry officials are concerned that European countries may cancel further contracts or impose sanctions on Israeli defense companies, The Times of Israel reported.

Last month, the UK, France and Canada threatened “concrete actions” against Israel if it did not halt its military operation in Gaza and allow humanitarian aid into the territory.

The UK also paused negotiations on a free trade agreement with Israel.

The shift in stance from countries that were previously among Israel’s staunchest supporters came after Israel imposed a two-month blockade on food and humanitarian aid to Gaza’s desperate population and ramped up its military operation in the territory.

The killing of dozens of Palestinians congregating to access food aid from a controversial new distribution system has led to further rounds of strongly worded condemnation from European and global leaders.

The defense ministry export figures show that since the war started in October 2023, Israel has managed to continue growing its arms industry while at the same time carrying out operations in Gaza, Lebanon, Yemen and Syria. 

The numbers show the next biggest market for arms exports was the Asia-Pacific region with 23 per cent of the purchases. Arab countries that normalized relations with Israel under the Abraham Accords made up 12 percent.

Defense Minister Israel Katz said the all-time record in defense exports were the “direct result” of the military campaigns against Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, and Iran.

“The world sees Israeli strength and seeks to be a partner to it,” Katz added.

The ministry said that nearly half the deals were for air defense systems, missiles, and rockets, an increase of 12 percent from 2023.

About 9 percent of the sales were for vehicles, while satellite and space systems, electronic warfare systems, and manned aircraft and avionics, amounted to 8 percent each.

More than half of the deals were worth more than $100 million each.

Europe’s governments have also faced pressure to cut back arms sales to Israel 

Israel’s military exports are dwarfed by the military aid it receives from the US, which was estimated at nearly $18 billion for the 12 months after the October 2023 Hamas-led attack.

During the attack, 1,200 people were killed and 251 hostages seized. Israel’s resulting military operation in Gaza has killed more than 54,000 people, mostly women and children, and sparked a humanitarian disaster.

 


Lebanese interior minister vows high levels of cooperation with UNIFIL

Updated 4 min 48 sec ago
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Lebanese interior minister vows high levels of cooperation with UNIFIL

  • UN chief appoints new head of mission for peacekeeping force

BEIRUT: Lebanon’s Interior Minister Ahmad Hajjar emphasized his country’s commitment to cooperating with the UN peacekeeping mission, particularly “during this critical phase.”

Hajjar’s comments were made during a meeting with Gen. Aroldo Lazaro Saenz, the head of mission and force commander of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon, known as UNIFIL.

In a significant development, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday named Maj. Gen. Diodato Abagnara to succeed Lazaro. 

Guterres expressed his gratitude to Lazaro for his dedication and leadership of UNIFIL during a particularly challenging period the mission has faced.

Under UN Security Council Resolution 1701, the number of UNIFIL troops was increased from 200 to 15,000 following the 2006 war.

The number of peacekeepers was eventually reduced to 10,058, made up of troops from 50 countries.

The UN Security Council is scheduled to discuss the renewal of UNIFIL’s mandate on Aug. 31, amid increasing calls to restructure the peacekeepers’ role and responsibilities to better align with the current situation in southern Lebanon since the ceasefire agreement.

During the conflict between the Israeli army and Hezbollah, which lasted from October 2023 until a ceasefire agreement was reached in November 2024, UNIFIL faced a series of targeted attacks from Israel. The Israeli government accused UNIFIL of “failing to carry out its duties in the area of deployment.”

UNIFIL also came under Hezbollah fire during the Israeli ground offensive.

Incidents of UNIFIL patrols being intercepted and even attacked by residents in towns within their area of deployment increased.

These incidents occurred under the pretext that the forces were “not accompanied by the Lebanese Army,” despite UNIFIL’s assertion that “all its patrols are coordinated with the army.” Additionally, Hezbollah seemed to have a role in these civilian interceptions.

During his meeting with Lazaro, Hajjar reaffirmed the ongoing cooperation between the Lebanese state and the international forces stationed south of the Litani River in implementing Resolution 1701 in all its provisions.

Hajjar during the meeting underlined Lebanon’s commitment to the highest levels of cooperation with the mission.

Meanwhile, on Thursday, several Israeli army Hummer vehicles advanced toward the orchards of Al-Wazzani town, where they remained for some time before withdrawing. Later, the Israeli forces launched seven mortar shells at the western outskirts of Al-Wazzani.

Specialized units of the Lebanese army moved and detonated a missile left behind by previous Israeli air raids in the Marjayoun region of southern Lebanon.


Syria seizes weapons, missiles bound for Lebanon

A policeman from the group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham stands guard in Damascus, on December 9, 2024. (AFP file photo)
Updated 20 min 19 sec ago
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Syria seizes weapons, missiles bound for Lebanon

  • Officials in Al-Qusayr find items hidden in vegetable crates on truck
  • Operation came after ‘meticulous’ planning, interior ministry says

BEIRUT: Syrian officials seized a shipment of weapons and ammunition, including guided anti-tank missiles, as they were being smuggled into Lebanese territory, the Ministry of Interior said on Thursday.

The haul, which was concealed inside a truck, was confiscated by officials from the Directorate of Internal Security in Al-Qusayr. The city is about 15 km from the Lebanese border, opposite the northern Bekaa villages which are a Hezbollah stronghold.

The operation was carried out “after meticulous monitoring and carefully choosing the right time and place,” the ministry said.

Images it published showed large quantities of crates that had been used to conceal the illicit cargo. The driver of the vehicle was arrested and the ammunition and weapons confiscated.

“Syrian authorities have intensified their security efforts in recent weeks, successfully combating weapons smuggling across the border, especially in areas close to Lebanon,” the ministry said.

“Significant quantities of light and medium weapons were seized in Al-Qusayr, some of which had been buried in farms and agricultural fields. A shipment of Grad missiles intended for smuggling out of the country was also confiscated.”

It said also that the Directorate of Internal Security in Nawa, located in the Daraa countryside, had “carried out a raid during which a quantity of light and medium weapons was seized and individuals involved in storage and smuggling were arrested.”

Last week, officials from the Syrian and Lebanese sides met in Damascus to discuss measures agreed on in earlier talks to curb smuggling along the border between the two countries.

Al-Qusayr served as Hezbollah’s military headquarters during its 2013 intervention in the Syrian war, after its residents were forced to flee to Lebanon.

 

 


Israeli court sentences widow of Walid Daqqa to house arrest

Updated 05 June 2025
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Israeli court sentences widow of Walid Daqqa to house arrest

  • Sanaa Salameh Daqqa accused of online incitement
  • Walid Daqaa died in Israeli custody last year

LONDON: Sanaa Salameh Daqqa, the widow of Palestinian political prisoner Walid Daqaa who died in custody last year, has been sentenced to 10 days’ house arrest by an Israeli court in Hadera.

Daqqa, who lives in the Israeli village of Baqa al-Gharbiyye, was arrested in occupied East Jerusalem last week on a charge of online incitement following a demand by Israel’s Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir for her to be deported.

The court on Thursday sentenced her to 10 days of house arrest at her mother’s home in Tira and imposed a travel ban and bail of 20,000 shekels ($5,700), the Palestinian news agency WAFA reported.

However, Sanaa remains in custody, as Israeli police are expected on Friday to appeal the court’s decision to release her.

Walid Daqaa died in Israeli custody in April 2024 after spending 38 years in custody. His body remains held by Israeli authorities.


International community has duty to help achieve a Palestinian state, UN chief tells Arab News

Updated 05 June 2025
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International community has duty to help achieve a Palestinian state, UN chief tells Arab News

  • Antonio Guterres’ comments come ahead of a global summit this month, co-chaired by Saudi Arabia and France, on the implementation of a 2-state solution
  • The alternative, a single-state solution in which Palestinians are expelled or forced to live on their land without rights ‘would be totally unacceptable,’ he says
  • Guterres also pays tribute to 168 UN workers killed in action in 2024, including 126 UNRWA employees, describing it as the deadliest year for UN personnel

NEW YORK CITY: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday told Arab News that the international community has a duty to do everything in its power to pursue a two-state solution to the conflict between Israel and Palestine, and to bring about the conditions that can make it happen.

“It is absolutely essential to keep alive the two-state solution perspective, with all the terrible things we are witnessing in Gaza and the West Bank,” he said.

“And for those who have doubts about the two-state solution, I ask what is the alternative? Is it a one-state solution in which either the Palestinians are expelled or the Palestinians will be forced to live on their land without rights? That would be totally unacceptable.

“I firmly believe that it is the duty of the international community to do everything to keep the two-state solution alive and then to materialize the conditions to make it happen.”

His comments came as Saudi Arabia and France prepare to co-chair a global conference this month in an attempt to hasten the implementation of a two-state solution and end decades of conflict between Israelis and Palestinians.

The effort gained further international support this week amid worsening conditions in Gaza as a result of Israel’s continuing intensification of military operations following the collapse in March of a previous ceasefire agreement with Hamas, and its decision to block humanitarian aid from entering the territory.

These actions have resulted in thousands of Palestinian deaths, the widespread destruction of civilian infrastructure, further mass displacements, and severe risk of famine, according to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, an initiative that aims to improve food security analysis and decision-making.

The devastating toll of Israel’s resumed assault on Gaza has sparked international anger, and Arab representatives have said the upcoming conference must look beyond mere diplomacy and deliver tangible steps on a path toward peace.

Speaking at a meeting of the UN General Assembly this month in preparation for the forum, Saudi Arabia said official recognition of the State of Palestine was a “strategic necessity” as “the cornerstone of a new regional order based on mutual recognition and coexistence.”

It added: “Regional peace begins with recognizing the State of Palestine, not as a symbolic gesture but as a strategic necessity.”

The high-level conference, scheduled to take place from June 17 to 20 at the UN headquarters in New York, aims to urgently adopt concrete measures to achieve the implementation of a two-state solution.

Palestine is officially recognized by 147 of the UN’s 193 member states and has held the status of nonmember observer state within the organization since 2012, but has not been granted full membership.

More than 53,000 Palestinians have been killed since Israeli authorities unleashed its military operations in Gaza following a Hamas-led attack that killed 1,200 people in Israel in October 2023.

On Wednesday, Guterres led a solemn tribute to 168 UN workers killed during 2024, describing the ceremony as not only a moment of mourning but a call for global reflection on the dangers faced by humanitarian workers. Of those who were honored, 126 were killed in Gaza and all but one of them served with the UN Relief and Works Agency.

Guterres said 2024 was the deadliest year for UN staff in the organization’s history and added: “More than one in every 50 UNRWA staff in Gaza has been killed in this atrocious conflict. Some were killed delivering life-saving aid, others alongside their families, and others while shielding the vulnerable.”

Families of the fallen were present at the annual memorial ceremony, during which Guterres described those who lost their lives as “extraordinary individuals, each one a story of courage, compassion and service.”

He emphasized the enduring commitment of UN workers despite growing global instability and said: “They do not seek recognition. They seek to make a difference. When conflict erupts, they work for peace. When rights are violated, they speak out.”

Guterres condemned the targeting of humanitarian workers and civilians in conflict zones and warned against what he called a growing tolerance for impunity.

“We will not accept the killing of UN personnel, of humanitarians, journalists, medical workers, or civilians as the new normal,” he said. “There must be no room for impunity.”

Despite increasing criticism of international institutions and growing shortfalls in funding for aid, Guterres said the dedication of UN staff remains unwavering.

“In a world where cooperation is under strain, we must remember the example set by our fallen colleagues,” he added.

He pledged to uphold the core values of the UN, stating: “We will not waver in our principles. We will not abandon our values. And we will never, ever give up.”