As international censure over the war in Gaza intensifies, a group of Pacific Island nations has emerged as steadfast allies of Israel, providing crucial support at the United Nations and other international forums. Countries including Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Tonga, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, and Tuvalu have consistently voted against resolutions critical of Israel, with Micronesia having not cast a single vote against Israel in the past decade, according to pro-Israel website UN Watch.
Papua New Guinea is one of only six countries to have opened an embassy in Jerusalem, recognising it as Israel's capital. Fiji has also committed to doing so, with Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka set to travel to Israel later this month for the official opening alongside Benjamin Netanyahu. Despite their small populations and geopolitical clout, these nations' votes at the UN carry the same weight as superpowers like the US and China.
Experts attribute the Pacific's enduring support for Israel largely to religious ties. In many Pacific countries, Christians make up over 90% of the population, and like evangelical Americans, many see a Jewish state in Israel as vital to their beliefs. Professor Steven Ratuva from the University of Canterbury notes that Israel has leveraged this connection through aid and development assistance, seeking friends in the Pacific to bolster its position on Gaza.
However, this support has sparked outrage among some Pacific populations. Groups like Fijians for Palestine are challenging their governments' alignment with Israel. Semi Turaga, a member of the group, says it is "politically convenient for the governments because supporting Israel is a majority view." Roshika Deo adds that the government's conservative Christian views are reflected in foreign policy, evidenced by the display of Israeli flags at churches, protests, and even rugby games in Fiji.
Israel has sustained the relationship through multiple visits to the region, including a 2020 tour by then-president Reuven Rivlin. In October, Israel announced an official visit to the Pacific, expressing "profound appreciation for the Pacific Island states." As the war in Gaza continues, these small nations remain among Israel's most reliable allies, even as other Western partners grow frustrated.
