Updated

Updated · The Jerusalem Post · Aug 8

American, Israeli Detained After August 6 Manila Airport Fight Over Alleged Antisemitic Slurs

Updated

Updated · The Jerusalem Post · Aug 8

American, Israeli Detained After August 6 Manila Airport Fight Over Alleged Antisemitic Slurs

Q: What really sparked the brutal terminal brawl between an American and an Israeli at Manila airport, and who threw the first punch?

What sparked the Manila airport fight has not been independently established, and who threw the first punch remains disputed. The clearest reported trigger comes from Israeli writer and activist Hen Mazzig, who said the Israeli man involved claimed the American had called him a “baby killer” and made a remark about Hitler. Other reposted accounts described the remarks as antisemitic slurs and said the Israeli reacted physically after the verbal exchange escalated. But there is no official public finding yet from airport authorities or police confirming that version, and the available video circulating online appears to begin after the argument was already underway. That means the footage does not definitively show what was said before the clash or clearly establish who initiated the physical violence. One detail from the video cuts both ways: after the scuffle, the American can be heard saying words to the effect of, “You attacked me … you’re going to jail,” which supports his claim that the Israeli struck first. At the same time, reports tied to the Israeli side say the American’s alleged insults provoked the confrontation. So, based on the evidence now public, the likely spark was a verbal dispute involving alleged anti-Israeli or antisemitic insults, but that has not been officially verified. As for the first punch, there is no confirmed answer yet; investigators would need fuller video, witness statements and any airport security reports to determine that.

3 articles · Updated · The Jerusalem Post · Aug 8

Airport police detained American Kent Scott Lee and Israeli Noam Shimon Rosenberg after their August 6 fight at Manila airport, with inquest proceedings opened in Pasay City on August 7.
Video shared on X showed the men wrestling on the ground before bystanders and airport staff pulled them apart after Lee allegedly called Rosenberg a "baby killer" and said Hitler should have finished killing Jews.
Rosenberg said the slurs triggered his retaliation, while Lee was heard afterward saying, "You proved my point; you're going to jail," and insulting him again.
The clash came days after another reported antisemitic confrontation in the Philippines, when a Spanish tourist allegedly threatened an IDF reservist on Siargao Island using similar "baby killer" accusations.