Followed almost immediately by alarm. Not just the kind that gently wakes you in the morning. No, this was more of a full-throttled red-lights-flashing put-out-the-fire type alarm. The kind that, rather than gently waking you, jolts you into reality from a world full of dreams.
Let me explain.
It was triggered by a recent post in an otherwise innocuous Facebook group called Siargao Business Classified. “Sorry to say!” the anonymous poster began. “But most Israeli travelers here are very loud and disrespectful! Acting like they own the island. Most of us got trauma [from] your behavior…”
That was bad enough, but what pushed my burgeoning panic into the realm of screaming sirens was the more than 200 replies. “Tired of seeing these people come here, act entitled, disrespect the locals, and trash the place like it’s their personal playground,” one shouted. “They act like the rules don’t apply to them, pushing their way around and ruining the vibe of the island. If you can’t respect the place and the people who actually live here, just don’t come.”
Jumping right on board, another declared that the allegedly misbehaving Israelis “deserve to be banned.”
Holy Moly, I thought, what the heck’s going on? You may wonder why I seem to have a dog in this fight, so let me tell you. First, being Jewish, I identify with Israel and have long supported it. And second, just last month I penned a Sunday Times Magazine cover story extolling the virtues of Siargao’s sizeable Israeli presence. “We come for fun, quiet, and rest, especially after the war,” explained one visitor who, like most of his compadres, had recently fought for the Israeli Defense Forces. “We are all soldiers, so after our service we come for vacation.”
Which, frankly, may explain some of their allegedly rowdy behavior. And because Israelis, by some estimates, comprise a full 30% of the island’s tourist population, well, their antics do not go unnoticed.
What alarms me, though, is the context of all this handwringing. These young people’s homeland, after all, is engaged in a bloody struggle for survival against forces that have long sought its destruction. And the resulting surge of global antisemitism has become the bane of Jewish people everywhere.
Some of the criticism by local islanders, in fact, bordered on ethnic hatred, implying sympathy for Palestinian and Nazi genocide as well as repeating ancient antisemitic tropes. Which, indeed, corresponds to a reported rise in Filipino antisemitism over the past decade.
Last year, according to the New York-based Anti-Defamation League, a full 42% of Filipinos displayed antisemitic attitudes, a dramatic increase from 2014 when only 3% of the population expressed such feelings. “These figures are alarming,” Israeli Ambassador Ilan Fluss declared at a recent commemoration of International Holocaust Remembrance Day in Manila, “and we cannot simply watch as this hateful ideology spreads.”
Regarding the situation in Siargao, however, Fluss—while asserting his awareness of it—emphasized the historically strong ties and good relations between Israelis and Filipinos and his desire to see them continue. “It’s all about dialogue and understanding,” the ambassador said.
And, indeed, that sentiment was also echoed by several of those commenting on the recent post. “I have many Israeli friends who are some of the kindest and most thoughtful people I know,” one wrote. “They’re aware of the negative behaviors some fellow Israelis might exhibit, and they want to address it.”
Once, upon encountering a rude Israeli visitor herself, she said, “I explained how his behavior could affect others. He immediately apologized and seemed genuinely remorseful. I think sometimes people act out because they feel judged or defensive, especially when they sense others may have negative preconceptions about them. It’s something many of us can relate to, no matter where we’re from.”
Her wise conclusion: “A little empathy can go a long way in shifting behavior.”
To which I add a heartfelt amen.
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David Haldane is an award-winning American journalist and author with homes in Southern California and Northern Mindanao. His latest book, Dark Skies: Tales of Turbulence in Paradise—due out in May—is available for preorder on Amazon. This column appears weekly in The Manila Times.
6 Comments
Most Israelis consider themselves Israeli and Jewish is 2ndary even orthodox Israelis. The Israelis in my congregation do not understand the sudden onset of hostility they’re incurring. I grew up as a Jew in New York so I recognize the specific twists in interaction. They’re oblivious as they’ve never been so recognizable as Jews as opposed to just other non-Anglo-foreigners.
I tell the Israelis to make sure they dispose of their trash even if they’re the only ones so doing. Just leaving a coffee cup laying around will go dox-viral in tic toc with all that it triggers.
Most of the Israelis and Jews I know act as guests, are paying customers and are assets to the society. But with video technology we should not generate bad footage ie leaving trash behind or losing our temper. Doesn’t mean be walked on but battles should be picked wisely.
All excellent points with which I completely agree! I never really thought about Israelis identifying more as Israelis than as Jews. I’ve been astounded at how quickly the general discomfort with foreigners on Siargao Island has become focused on Israelis and now seems to be verging, in some cases, on real antisemitism. Not a good time for Israelis to misbehave, even if those who do are a small minority.
As a Filipino, I find this article condescending. Why does any valid criticism to any Israeli considered antisemitism. The level of entitlement is astounding. So you consider acting rude to locals is “OK” because you are paying customer?. wow. You never even consider the perspective of the local population? so are you going to occupy the local island now? Learn to read the room. Watch this video and tell me how can you excuse your compatriots?
https://bilyonaryo.com/2025/05/02/siargao-in-uproar-locals-accuse-israeli-tourists-of-harassment-and-economic-sabotage/travel/
Focused? Or they’re the only ones as a collective who’s acting like this in foreign places in recent memory? Bro, the Philippines is arguably the safest place in Southeast Asia to stay or migrate as an Israeli, a lot of Filipinos are Christian evangelicals, pretty much aligned in terms of values I would say. But somehow you managed to get us Filipinos alarmed albeit the Filipinos being arguably the most hospitable group of people in that region, it doesn’t say something about us but it definitely says something about the common Jewish/Israeli stereotype. Bro, Filipinos aren’t inherently “antisemitic”, people here are not well-read and uninformed enough to actually form biased opinions out of just casual stereotypes, reading books and watching news. You’re getting called out in Siargao because of a negative, firsthand experience.
The growing annoyance towards Israelis, among Filipinos, might be the result of a video that was leaked online a few years ago… Filipino Catholic pilgrims being spat at by passing Jews. I watched that. As a Catholic, I was offended by how they treated the Filipino Catholic Pilgrims who were just on their peaceful “Fatima” procession… I was asking myself, why do these local (Ultra) Jews behave this way? Have they forgotten that the Philippines opened its doors when Jews in Europe needed help? Still, as a Filipino, I would tell myself the Jews have been through a lot, and living in such hostile arab neighbors might be the result. But that scene still haunts me to this day… Believe me, this is always the case; Filipinos who haven’t watched that video hold Israel as the chosen people of God, but to those who have watched that leaked video, shaken that view.
Wow,I have never seen that video nor even heard of it until now. Shame on those who spat on those Catholics! As a Jew myself, I can assure you that they are outlyers and that most Jews–certainly all the ones I know–fully respect Catholics and would never condone such outrageous behavior. I, in fact, have been happily married to a Catholic Filipina for 17 years and we have no religious conflicts whatsoever. Recently I even attended a day-long conference between Jews and Catholics in Manila during which both sides exhibited nothing but mutual admiration and respect. So I absolutely condemn the kind of behavior you describe, which has no place in the Philippines or anywhere else. And I thank you for bringing it to my attention.