Tiny pro-‘Israel’ island of Nauru to open embassy in Jerusalem

The remote Pacific island nation of Nauru—home to roughly 12,000 inhabitants—is set to open an embassy in ‘Israel’.

The announcement adds to a small list of countries bucking international norms by placing diplomatic missions in Jerusalem.

Nauru, one of the world's smallest and least-visited countries, has maintained close ties with ‘Israel’ for years.

It formally recognized Jerusalem as ‘Israel's’ capital in August 2019, becoming one of the first Pacific nations to do so.

The latest development follows diplomatic engagements, including a June 2026 meeting in Fiji between ‘Israeli’ Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar and Nauru's Vice President and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Lionel Aingimea (also referred to as Lionel Rouwen Aingimea).

Sa’ar expressed gratitude for Nauru’s support in multilateral forums and invited the minister to visit Jerusalem, describing it as Israel’s “eternal capital.”

Jerusalem remains one of the most sensitive issues in the ‘Israeli’-Palestinian conflict.

‘Israel’ regards the entire city as its undivided capital, while Palestinians claim East Jerusalem—annexed by ‘Israel’ in the 1967 war—as the capital.

Most countries maintain their embassies in Tel Aviv to avoid prejudging final-status negotiations, in line with longstanding international consensus and UN resolutions.

Palestinian officials and bodies like the Organization of Islamic Cooperation have previously condemned similar recognitions as violations of international law.

Nauru delivered consistent support for ‘Israel’ at the United Nations, including votes against resolutions critical of Jerusalem’s status.

This step positions Nauru alongside other Pacific allies like Fiji, Papua New Guinea, and potentially Samoa, which have taken similar actions in recent years.

As of mid-2026, a handful of countries—including the US, Guatemala, Honduras, Kosovo, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, and Fiji—maintain full embassies in Jerusalem.