A Fijian deputy prime minister
says the Pacific identifies with Israel in ways many would
not understand.
Viliame Gavoka, who is also the
tourism minister in Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka’s
coalition government, was responding to a Facebook post about
Israel being accepted into the Pacific Islands Forum
(PIF) as a development partner.
The PIF, which is
backed by Australia and New Zealand as its founding members,
is the region’s principal political decision-making
institution.
“The entire Pacific Islands identify with
Israel in ways many would not understand,” Gavoka wrote a
comment.
“It’s biblical and ageless and
real.
“Are we going to upset some people?
Perhaps…but we know that the relationship with Israel is
timeless, whereas with others, it’s largely geopolitics and
subject to what is fashionable for the moment,” he
added.
Fiji is one of the staunchest supporters of
Israel and opened
its Jerusalem embassy in September last year, while
Israel established
its permanent presence in Suva in June this
year.
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Both Gavoka and Rabuka are among the most
pro-Israel politicians in Fiji and the
Pacific.
Israel’s PIF status, which was decided at the
leaders’ meeting in September in Palau, required consensus
from all 18 Forum members, including New Zealand.
The
decision has attracted a range of commentary across the
region.
In Aotearoa, ACT leader David Seymour extended
Israel “a warm Pacific welcome”, while Labour questioned
Israel’s admission to the Forum.
New Zealand Foreign
Minister Winston Peters said to criticise Israel’s inclusion
in PIF is an insult to Pacific Island countries, adding that
the decision by the Pacific leaders should be
respected.
Former PIF advisor Sione Tekiteki said
Israel securing formal recognition through PIF was a way for
it to legitimise itself in a region where it has gained much
affection.
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