Twenty-two Pacific civil society organisations are calling on Pacific Islands Forum leaders to suspend Israel’s newly approved Forum partnership and urging Fiji, Papua New Guinea and Nauru to relocate their embassies from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv.
The organisations, including the Pacific Conference of Churches, Oxfam in the Pacific and the Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre, say Pacific leaders must apply international law consistently when defending sovereignty and self-determination.
“We cannot invoke the Court for our islands and ignore it for Palestine,” the Pacific Regional Non-Governmental Organisations (PRNGO) Alliance said on Friday.
The alliance was referring to the International Court of Justice’s July 2024 advisory opinion, which found Israel’s continued presence in the occupied Palestinian territory unlawful.
Its call follows an announcement by Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar that Pacific Islands Forum Secretary-General Baron Waqa had informed him of leaders’ approval of Israel as a Forum Partner during their meeting in Palau.
The partnership would allow Israel to work with Pacific countries on water, desalination, agriculture and climate change.
Demand for accountability
The alliance acknowledged the Pacific’s need for assistance with water security, food production and climate resilience.
However, it opposed welcoming Israel “without condition” while raising concerns about compliance with international law.
The organisations also questioned the transparency of the partnership decision.
They said the Forum Secretariat had not publicly explained the decision despite already hosting an Israeli development cooperation talanoa.
The alliance called on the Secretariat to publish the basis for Israel’s admission as a Forum Partner.
It urged Pacific leaders to suspend engagements until Israel complies with the International Court of Justice’s ruling and relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions.
Embassy relocation
The coalition also called on Fiji, Papua New Guinea and Nauru to move their embassies from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv.
Samoa was urged to reconsider its plan to establish an embassy in Jerusalem.
Fiji opened its embassy in Jerusalem in September 2025, while Israel opened an embassy in Suva this year.
The alliance argued that the Pacific’s commitment to international law and self-determination must extend beyond the region.
It said the Ocean of Peace declaration adopted by Pacific leaders in 2025 should reflect security “founded on justice, sovereignty, self-determination”.
The organisations also called on Pacific leaders to press Indonesia to allow the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to visit West Papua.
The demands place the Forum’s new relationship with Israel under scrutiny as Pacific civil society groups seek greater transparency and consistency in regional diplomacy.
