By Adrian H. Halili, Reporter

ISRAEL would no longer require re-entry visas for repatriated overseas Filipino workers (OFW) planning to return to Israel once the war with Iran ends, according to its top envoy in Manila.

“We will not request from (OFWs) re-entry visas, meaning it’s easy for them to come back to work in Israel after they feel it’s safe,” Ambassador Ilan Fluss told reporters on Tuesday.

The Department of Foreign Affairs on June 21 raised the crisis alert level in Israel and Iran to alert level 3, calling for the voluntary repatriation of Filipinos.

“From the Israeli point of view, those who do not end the contract but request to leave, to take a break, when they can come back at this stage, they do not need a re-entry visa, which usually they would need,” Mr. Fluss said.

There were more than 300 OFWs applying for repatriation from Israel as of June 22, according to the Philippine Embassy in Israel. More than 30,000 Filipinos live in Israel, while there are more than 1,000 in Iran.

Israel launched a surprise attack against Iran early this month, targeting key nuclear and ballistic missile facilities as well as senior military leaders. Washington also joined the campaign on Sunday, targeting key nuclear sites in Iran.

Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo J. Cacdac said 31 Filipinos were bound for Manila after being delayed by Iran’s bombing of a US airbase in Qatar.

“The Qatari airspace is now open, and we are now awaiting confirmation of the new schedule of our flight,” Mr. Cacdac said in a statement.

Migrant Workers Undersecretary Felicitas Q. Bay said 50 OFWs would be repatriated within the week.

“They are tentatively scheduled on June 26 or 27, following the same route as the first batch, but with what happened last night with the closure of the Qatar airspace, our embassy and Migrant Workers Office are working out arrangements for another route,” she said at a livestreamed briefing.

On Monday night, Iran launched missiles toward a US airbase near Doha, prompting the Qatari government to close its airspace. It reopened hours later.

Of the total repatriated Filipinos, 26 were from Israel, three from Jordan, one from Palestine and one from Qatar. They will receive P150,000 in financial assistance once they arrive in the Philippines.

Mr. Fluss said Israel would ensure that its borders would remain open for refugees fleeing the conflict.

“[Up to] now, the crossings are fully operational and there is no intention to close them,” he added.

Mr. Fluss said OFWs would be alerted 10 minutes before an impending missile strike through phone alerts or through an app, while sirens would sound one-and-a-half minutes before an attack.

“They also are getting the same medical services and any other services that are needed, social services like anybody else in Israel,” he added.

Meanwhile, Mr. Fluss said Israel is willing to continue its partnerships with the Philippines’ agriculture and water sectors despite the conflict with Iran.

“We are both committed — the private sector and government sector,” he said. “There is very much a commitment and an interest to continue such collaborations.”

“Israeli companies are very much interested to be involved in the development process in the Philippines and different sectors,” Mr. Fluss said.

He noted that it would remain difficult for Israeli companies to go to the Philippines because of the war.

“It is more difficult because there are no flights, so traveling out of Israel, they have to leave either by land to Jordan or Egypt and then by air,” he said. “But Israeli companies have other people from Israel, or they have also people based around other countries and they will come here.”

Israel’s private sector has investments in local agriculture and water treatment projects, among other ventures.