Nauru’s government announces plans for embassy in Israel

Nauru’s government has announced plans to set up an embassy in Israel.

The government said Cabinet had endorsed the deployment of a scoping mission to Israel, to assess the diplomatic, operational, and logistical requirements to establish the embassy.

“A diplomatic presence in Israel will serve as an essential platform for advancing [Nauru’s] foreign policy priorities, promoting sustainable development, and deepening bilateral engagement with one of the region’s key partners,” the government said in a statement on Wednesday.

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“The creation of an embassy in Israel represents a significant milestone in [Nauru’s] diplomatic outreach and underscores the nation’s dedication to expanding its global partnerships in support of national development and strategic cooperation.”

The statement did not specify which city the embassy would be established in, but Israel’s foreign minister Gideon Saar said it would be in Jerusalem.

In a translated social media post shared by Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Saar said the Nauruan embassy was expected to be the 10th embassy in Jerusalem, and the fifth since he took office, coming after he also reached an agreement with Colombia’s incoming foreign minister on a similar move.

Fiji and Papua New Guinea are among several countries which have diplomatic missions in Jerusalem rather than Tel Aviv, which is controversial due to the sensitive nature of a territorial dispute between Israelis and Palestinians, who both claim Jerusalem as their capital.

Fiji embassy in Jerusalem
Fiji opened its embassy in Jerusalem in September 2025.

Fiji Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka said earlier last year that establishing an embassy was “not a blanket endorsement of another country’s policies; it is a bridge that allows Fiji to work directly with partners”.

Fiji also reaffirmed its support for a peaceful two-state solution “where both Israelis and Palestinians can live in dignity and security”.

In March this year, Fiji’s human rights watchdog warned that the country’s pro-Israel foreign policy and diplomatic engagement worked against its international obligations and could be enabling “genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity” in Gaza.

Israel has also opened its permanent diplomatic base in Suva.

In January, Saar said that Samoa would open an embassy in Jerusalem this year.

Samoan Prime Minister La’aulialemalietoa (La’auli) Leuatea Schmidt said he instructed Samoa’s foreign ministry to begin preparations for the embassy’s opening by the end of the year, according to a recording of the speech posted on the Samoan government’s Facebook page.

PNG ‘violation’ of international law
When PNG opened its Israeli embassy in Jerusalem in 2023, the Palestinian Authority called it an “aggression” and a “violation” of international law.

PNG Prime Minister James Marape said at the time the move had deep religious significance.

“Many nations choose not to open their embassies in Jerusalem, but we made the conscious choice,” he said.

“This has been the universal capital of the nation and people of Israel.

“For us to call ourselves Christian, paying respect to God will not be possible without recognising that Jerusalem is the universal capital of the people and nation of Israel.”

The United States, Guatemala, Honduras, Kosovo and Paraguay also have embassies in Jerusalem.

The Israeli government has a formal policy of offering incentives to countries willing to open embassies in Jerusalem, including financial support for relocation and setup costs.