Let’s work with Israel in the Pacific

Australia’s relationship with Israel is at a low point. To help to turn a new page and restore some balance, both states should focus on areas of common interest.

Israel and Australia should cooperate in the Pacific Islands. It’s a region rising in geopolitical importance, and where Israel has contributed capacity building and technology. In this context, it’s timely that Israel wants to strengthen ties with the Pacific. Israel’s Foreign Minister, Gideon Sa’ar, has asked his deputy, Sharren Haskel, to undertake a Pacific Islands tour to broaden partnerships into “new, substantial areas while identifying additional strategic and bilateral interests that will serve to further advance the mutual interests of all parties”.

The island states to be visited include Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Nauru, Palau, Tuvalu and Tonga. They constitute an important source of support for Israel across various international issues and can be relied on for UN lawfare engagement. They have adopted what was previously the Australian position in regularly voting to support Israel in the UN on matters relating to Israel and Palestine.

The growth of evangelical churches in the Pacific encourages solidarity with Israel. Many Melanesians believe they are descended from the lost tribes of Israel. In the Solomon Islands, for example, the most populated island of Malaita, some citizens claim to have Jewish ancestors. In the far west of PNG, the Gogodala people perform Hebrew prayers.

The official Jewish population in the Pacific is tiny. But the Israeli flag is a common sight across the region, even in some of the most isolated areas, and hung in many village churches during mass. The Pacific has almost no history of antisemitism or anti-Zionism.

Nauru recognised Jerusalem as Israel’s capital in 2019. PNG moved its embassy to Jerusalem in 2023. In opening the embassy, PNG Prime Minister James Marape set out the religious motivation for the move. “For us to call ourselves Christians, paying respect to God will not be complete without recognising that Jerusalem is the universal capital of the people and nation of Israel,” he said.

Fiji announced in February that it will move its embassy to Jerusalem. Fiji has a long tradition of sending peacekeepers across the Middle East and would very likely be involved in any future international peacekeeping force in Gaza. This year Israel pledged support to Fiji by offering patrol boats to strengthen the country’s war against illicit drugs.

In the Pacific, Israel has had considerable engagement through sending experts as part of its aid program. Aid has a humanitarian aim as well as a political objective. As noted, Pacific Island states such as the Federated States of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands, Palau and Nauru line up with Israel when UN votes concern the Jewish state. Supporting Israel is seen as part of protecting the Holy Land: religious views are very important in the Pacific. Along with the Solomon Islands, they receive Israeli aid not just from the government, but also from Israeli non-government organisations, such as IsraAID.

Mashav, Israel’s official agency for international development cooperation, has funded or partnered on agriculture, water, disaster preparedness and clean-energy projects in the Pacific. Israel’s GAL Water Technologies has provided a unique water-purification system loaded into a vehicle to the Marshall Islands, which suffers a serious lack of drinking water. In Nauru, Israel donated the Home Biogas unit in Boe, as part of the initiative to reduce carbon gas emissions, improve waste management and food security.

Israel has aided several Pacific countries after natural disasters, including sending teams to address the mental health needs of cyclone survivors. Papua New Guinea has sent soldiers and police officers to Israel for specialist training.

An indigenous embassy opened last year in Jerusalem to provide representation for indigenous people around the world to express their solidarity with Israel. The embassy’s establishment had strong backing from Samoa, New Caledonia, Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Cook Islands, Tonga and Fiji.

There is a host of opportunities in the Pacific to focus on where Israel has expertise, such as climate resilience, health, agriculture and green energy. The islands look to Israel to support their 2050 strategy for the Blue Pacific continent. Israel has included marine technology as a top national research priority. An Israeli company has, for example, developed marine friendly concrete for use underwater, which is especially relevant to the islands.

Israel can contribute to the Pacific Island states in areas such as cyber security, water management, high-tech agriculture and medical research and development. Most importantly, the Pacific Island states trust Israel.

Israel has applied to be a dialogue partner of the Pacific Islands Forum. Israel has an ambassador to the Pacific Island states based in Jerusalem. It would be a positive step if the ambassador’s role was based in the region to underline Israel’s long term Pacific commitment.

Australia seeks a stable, secure and prosperous neighbourhood. Foreign Minister Penny Wong should acknowledge both publicly and privately that Israel can be an asset in the Pacific to advance those goals. It is a region where we need all the friends we can get.

Dr Anthony Bergin is a senior fellow at Strategic Analysis Australia.