The small South Pacific island nation of Naoero became the ninth country to establish an embassy in Jerusalem on Monday, with Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar warmly commending the move at the opening ceremony and indicating that a tenth was on the way.
Naoero’s vice president and foreign minister, Lionel Aingimea, said that his country’s support for Israel was deeply rooted in their religious values.
“Our motto is ‘God first,’ and Israel has always held a special place in our hearts,” he said.
“We believe with all our hearts that supporting Israel brings us God’s blessing.”
Naoero (also known as Nauru) is a small, coral-ringed island nation of around 12,000 people, located 42 kilometers south of the equator in the Pacific Ocean, north-east of Australia. It became famous for its rich phosphate reserves, which brought the nation great wealth, but decades of mining have depleted the island’s resources.
Neighboring nations Fiji and Papua New Guinea have also moved their embassies to Jerusalem and the Naoero decision to open a mission in Israel’s capital came after a meeting between Aingimea and Sa’ar in Fiji.
The United States was the first to open its embassy in Israel’s capital city, later followed by Guatemala, Honduras, Kosovo, Paraguay, Somaliland, Papua New Guinea and Fiji.
While Naoero is the ninth to open an embassy in Jerusalem, Sa’ar said a tenth will open next month.
Most nations have their mission in Tel Aviv, Israel’s economic and cultural hub, avoiding Jerusalem, which many consider to be disputed territory.
Naoero has been supportive of Israel in the UN, voting with the Jewish state 71% of the time according to Aingimea, and backing Israel during proceedings at the International Court of Justice.
“Mark my words: That 71% will rise in the very near future,” Aingimea promised, expressing his commitment to expanding ties with Israel.
“We see opening an embassy here in Jerusalem not only as a strengthening of our ties with Israel, but also as a message to the world of where we stand,” he said.
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Sa’ar expressed appreciation for Naoero’s steady support, adding that the decision to open their embassy in Jerusalem reflected the close relationship between the two countries.
“You have recognized what we all know to be the truth – Jerusalem is the capital of Israel,” Sa’ar said at the opening ceremony.
“Naoero is one of Israel’s most loyal and steadfast friends in the international community,” he affirmed.
Israel and Naoero plan to expand bilateral cooperation in areas including health, agriculture, water management, innovation and climate resilience, according to Israel’s Foreign Ministry.
Sa’ar said that through the Foreign Ministry’s international development cooperation program, MASHAV, Israeli emergency-care doctors will work to strengthen local medical capabilities in the South Pacific island, providing “medical equipment, including cardiac ultrasound equipment, as well as water-purification systems capable of producing tens of thousands of liters of clean water each day.”
“This is a true legacy. Today, you laid a brick in the walls of Jerusalem,” Sa’ar announced on 𝕏 after the ceremony. “Welcome to Jerusalem, Naoero!”
Dr Sheree Trotter, a Māori academic speaking for the Indigenous Embassy Jerusalem described Naoero as a “small, but mighty nation making a difference.”
She pointed out that they have supported Israel for decades, and said the Christian influence in the Pacific islands has made them less susceptible to “current academic fads.”
“It is especially pleasing to see that these Pacific nations, haven’t bought into the false narrative that portrays Jews as foreign colonizers, rather than an Indigenous people with an ancient heritage in the land of Israel,” she said.
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This article originally appeared on ALL ISRAEL NEWS and is reposted with permission.
