Republic of Fiji decides to open embassy in Jerusalem, joining six other nations in Israel's capital

The Republic of Fiji, known as one of the friendliest countries toward Israel, has decided to open an embassy in Israel’s capital Jerusalem, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar announced on Tuesday.

“I congratulate Fiji on its decision to open an embassy in Israel, in Jerusalem, the eternal capital of the Jewish people. I thank Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sitibani Rabuka, a friend of Israel, for passing the decision today in the Fijian government,” he wrote on 𝕏.

Rabuka told Sa’ar at the Munich Security Conference last week that his government was about to take a decision on the issue.

I commend the Republic of Fiji's government for its historic decision to open an embassy in Jerusalem, the eternal capital of the Jewish people. Thank you, Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka @slrabuka, friend of Israel. Thank you Fiji! 🇮🇱🇫🇯 pic.twitter.com/IxCkjPnhQ6

— Gideon Sa'ar | גדעון סער (@gidonsaar) February 18, 2025

The Fijian embassy will join the embassies of the U.S., Guatemala, Honduras, Kosovo, Papua New Guinea and Paraguay in Jerusalem. The other nations have not recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, and are keeping their embassies in Tel Aviv.

“We will continue to work to open and move additional embassies to Jerusalem, our capital,” Sa’ar declared.

The Fijian government had been considering opening an embassy in Jerusalem for some time.

According to the Times of Israel, Rabuka told Roi Rosenblit, Israel’s ambassador to the Pacific island countries, “My personal feeling is that Jerusalem should be the location of our new Fiji embassy, but I will have to sell this to our coalition partners.”

The Fijian people are known as being among the most friendly toward Israel. Last year, Fijian leaders were among a group of representatives from Indigenous groups across the globe, including Native Americans, Taiwanese and others, who visited Jerusalem to declare the Jewish people as the first of the “First Nations.”

Shortly before the war broke out, a delegation of over 200 people chartered a special flight from Fiji Airways to join the Feast of Tabernacles in Jerusalem, led by Deputy Prime Minister Viliame Gavoka.