Prime Minister to open Fiji Embassy in Jerusalem, Israel

Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabu­ka will officially open the Fi­jian Embassy in Jerusalem, Israel, later this month.

In an interview yesterday, Mr Rabuka outlined his official over­seas trips for September, including his visit to Israel scheduled for Sep­tember 15.

"I'm only going because the Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Net­anyahu, will be present. There will be a Fijian traditional welcome ac­corded to me as Prime Minister of Fiji, visiting-not to both of us. And then we're going to the official opening," he said.

"I have only one hour for the open­ing, and that's the only time availa­ble for the Prime Minister of Israel to be present as well."

Setting up an embassy in Jerusa­lem was part of SODELPA's mani­festo.

When questioned about the on­going conflict in the Gaza Strip between Israel and Palestine, and Fiji's stance on supporting Israel, the Prime Minister said: "We will continue to call for a peaceful reso­lution to their problem."

He added that Fiji's support for Is­rael is based on Fiji's membership in the United Nations, and not on the International Criminal Court decision that labelled Prime Min­ister Netanyahu as a war criminal.

"And the sanction against one of the judges (Nazhat Shameem) in the International Commission of Jurists has nothing to do with Fiji. She was nominated or supported by Fiji in her initial elevation to the Geneva Court. Since then, she is not responsible to Fiji, nor is Fiji responsible for her."

"She is an international court judge, and she must perform her duties in total independence of any political or national views."

Feedback: ivamere.nataro@fijisun.com.fj