Fijian Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka and Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu officially inaugurated Fiji’s resident embassy in Jerusalem. 17 September 2025 Photo: Fiji Government
Fijian Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka opened the country's new embassy in Jerusalem, fresh off the back of receiving endorsement for his "Ocean of Peace" proposal from Pacific leaders.
Rabuka inaugurated Fiji's resident mission alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday (Jerusalem time), becoming the second Pacific nation, and seventh globally, to have a permanent diplomatic presence in the contested city.
Last week, the Fijian prime minister doubled down on his government's decision to establish an embassy in Jerusalem, despite drawing criticism from opposition parties and non-governmental organisations, who raised concerns about Israel's actions in Gaza.
On Tuesday, United Nations (UN) investigators accused Israel of committing "genocide" in Gaza to "destroy the Palestinians", blaming Netanyahu and top officials in his government for incitement.
The Israeli government has strongly rejected those accusations.
Since Israel launched its military assault following a surprise attack by Hamas-led militants on 7 October 2023, Gaza's health ministry - under Hamas administration - has reported that nearly 65,000 people have been killed. These figures are considered credible by the UN.
According to UN Resolution 478, Israel's declaration of Jerusalem as its capital violates international law. The resolution states that East Jerusalem is an occupied territory and calls on all UN member states to withdraw diplomatic missions from the city.
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Rabuka said earlier this year that establishing an embassy "is not a blanket endorsement of another country's policies; it is a bridge that allows Fiji to work directly with partners."
At the dedication of the Fiji embassy in Jerusalem, Rabuka said Fiji's presence "reflects our desire to build bridges-not walls-between nations, cultures, and peoples".
He said the people of Fiji shared a very close religious and cultural connection to Jerusalem.
"We deeply value your great nation, which is the birthplace of Christianity. Our similarities, faith and common values continue to strengthen us together in unity and solidarity, as witnessed here this afternoon."
He said the opening of the embassy is consistent with Fiji's Foreign Policy White Paper, which encourages the expansion of links with key strategic and traditional partners beyond the region to stimulate progress and shared prosperity.
Speaking alongside Rabuka, Netanyahu said, "We [are] brothers, we help one another. I'm proud of the fact that we have been involved in the development of Fiji.
"This is more than a political moment.
"It's a sharing of great values and great purposes. These values are challenged in our region. We have just been engaged close to two years in a southern front war [with those] who don't accept anything that I have just said. They celebrate a cult of death, they wish to extinguish the life of the Jewish State.
"But they threaten the lives of all who share our values."
He told Rabuka, "You recognise a truth that everybody should recognise."
"But few governments have so far, that [Jerusalem] has been our capital for 3000 years, since the days of King David."
