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🇮🇱 Israel /Elections & Politics

More than PR: Diplomacy means strengthening relationships with our friends

From Jerusalem Post · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

Opinion Sources not specified Context piece
  • Israel opened a new embassy in Fiji to strengthen ties with reliable supporters in the Pacific Islands.
  • This move aligns with Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar's philosophy of rewarding allies and reconsidering investments in adversaries.
  • The embassy serves nine Pacific Island states, many of which consistently supported Israel in international forums, including a UN vote on a Gaza ceasefire.

Israel has opened a new embassy in Fiji, a move that may seem unusual given its diplomatic challenges in Europe and North America. However, the decision reflects a strategic diplomatic philosophy focused on strengthening relationships with reliable supporters.

Fiji and eight other Pacific Island nations are among Israel's most consistent allies on the international stage. While larger nations have become increasingly hostile, these smaller countries have consistently supported Israel in international forums where every vote is critical. For example, seven of the twelve countries that voted with Israel on a UN General Assembly resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza will be served by the new embassy in Suva.

Diplomacy is not only about trying to win over critics. It is also about strengthening relationships with friends.

— JPOST EDITORIALThe editorial explains the rationale behind opening the embassy in Fiji.

This initiative is part of a diplomatic approach championed by Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar: rewarding countries that stand with Israel and re-evaluating investments in those that work against it. This strategy is also evident in Israel's decision to close its embassy in Ireland due to Dublin's "hostile actions and rhetoric" in late 2024. Concurrently, Israel opened new embassies in Moldova, Estonia, and Zambia, countries with which it maintains warm relations.

Israel is also considering closing either its embassy in Oslo or its consulate in Chengdu, China, as part of a broader effort to redirect resources from adversarial to friendly states. While ideally, embassies would be maintained everywhere, diplomatic resources are finite. Some nations, like Ireland, appear unreceptive to Israeli arguments, making continued investment questionable. The calculation has changed regarding the Pacific, where Israel previously had an embassy in Fiji from 1970 until the mid-1990s, when it was closed for budgetary reasons, then considered a luxury.

Reward countries that stand with Israel and reconsider investments in countries that consistently work against it.

— JPOST EDITORIALThe editorial describes the diplomatic philosophy of Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Jerusalem Post in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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