Philippines, Israel sign trade agreement during Duterte visit

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu extended a warm welcome to Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday, and the two leaders oversaw the signing of three agreements in trade, science and caregiving, AP reports. Netanyahu highlighted the countries’ long friendship, how the Philippines took in Jewish refugees after WWII and was the only Asian nation to vote for Israel’s establishment. Before his departure from Manila, Duterte said he looks forward to broader cooperation on a range “of mutually important areas - defense and security, law enforcement, economic development, trade [and] investments and labor.” Sales of Israeli weapons to his government are high on the agenda, according to Israeli media.