Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 9) — The country’s former ambassador to Israel has described the situation in the Middle Eastern nation as “bad,” with explosions happening every few minutes, but adds there is confidence among Israelis that they will be protected by their military.
Former Ambassador Girly Garcia, who served from 2009 to 2011, told News Night she arrived in Israel in August this year to visit her son and his family who were living in the country, adding she was supposed to leave on Oct. 15. However, she said that will be difficult because of what was happening in the country.
\”All I can do is just want and hope that things will subside. We are waiting to be able to go back to our normal lives,\” she said on Monday.
She described the situation as \”bad.\”
‘Young people are being called back to the army: 80 percent, I think, of the military is there. And many of them are reservists. I would like to say that there are several Filipino-Israeli soldiers out there, and magaling po sila [they’re good],\” Garcia added.
When asked to describe what the situation in Israel was like at the moment, she said while the interview was ongoing that explosions sounded \”like rolling thunder.\”
\”It stops, and then it starts again,\” Garcia said.
On Saturday, Garcia said they heard loud sirens early in the morning followed by sounds of explosions, and had to go to bomb shelters for protection.
During her interview, Garcia pointed out there were still explosions happening in the background. At one point, she took her camera to show where these were coming from.
\”It’s like a constant hum,\” she added.
She said the situation was worse on Saturday, adding that a building two blocks away from where she lived exploded after being hit by shrapnel.
\”I’ve been coming to Israel since 1993, I’ve witnessed a lot of wars. Ngayon pa lang po ako nakakita ng ganito katindi [It’s only know that I’ve seen it this bad],\” she said.
Garcia also said a nephew is in the Israeli Reserve Forces and has been called in because of the situation. His family is worried, she said.
\”Obviously, everyone is really worried, but they’re very confident their children will come home. They’re hoping and praying their children will come home,\” said Garcia.
However, Garcia said that even in the middle of the conflict there was still something to learn.
