Summarised by Centrist
Many Pacific governments continue to back Israel despite growing global criticism.
According to academic Steven Ratuva, pro-Israel sentiment in the Pacific is tied to evangelical Christianity that links biblical prophecy to modern Zionism.
Reverend James Bhagwan, head of the Pacific Conference of Churches, suggests there is a growing disconnect between public sentiment and official positions. “There is no popular support for Israel’s most recent actions in the Pacific,” he said, citing violations of international law by both Israel and the United States.
Yet Bhagwan concedes that “there is a religious contingency within the Pacific that does support Israel… it does not necessarily mean it’s the majority view, but it is one that is seriously considered by those in power.”
Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Nauru, Tuvalu and others voted against a recent UN ceasefire resolution, aligning with Israel and the US. But observers say these votes reflect elite-level religious and political affiliations rather than widespread public backing.
Fiji and PNG have also opened embassies in Jerusalem.
Fijian Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka’s defense of Israel has inflamed tensions between Christian majorities and Muslim minorities as the Gaza conflict drags on.
The United States used Pacific airspace as part of a military decoy operation ahead of its Iran strike. Bhagwan and other civil society leaders condemned the move as deceptive and a violation of the nuclear-free principles laid out in the Treaty of Rarotonga.
