Tiny Nauru to open embassy in Jerusalem, will be tenth country to do so

The Pacific island nation of Nauru will open an embassy in Jerusalem, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar’s office said on Wednesday.

“Nauru is a true friend of Israel, and the opening of the embassy will undoubtedly contribute to deepening the relations between the countries,” Sa’ar wrote on X.

“The Foreign Ministry, under my leadership, will provide all the necessary assistance to open the embassy as soon as possible. We look forward to hosting you soon in Jerusalem, our eternal capital!” he said.

Sa’ar and Nauruan Foreign Minister Lionel Aingimea met in June 2025 in Fiji and agreed on the opening, according to Sa’ar’s office.

There was no immediate confirmation from Nauru itself of the decision, as of late Wednesday morning Israel time.

Already in 2023, however, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said its leader had expressed an intention to open an embassy in Jerusalem.

The embassy is expected to open in the coming months, according to Sa’ar’s office. It will be Nauru’s first embassy in Israel.

Nauru is one of the smallest nations in the world, with a population of about 12,000. Israel is represented in Nauru by a non-resident ambassador based in Fiji.

It is a firm supporter of the Jewish state, and Israel has previously thanked it for its support in the UN and other forums.

Nauru recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital in 2019.

The United States, Guatemala, Honduras, Kosovo, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Fiji, and Somaliland have embassies in Jerusalem, while Colombia announced its intention to open one last week.

Other countries — including Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia — have embassy branches in the capital.

Most countries that have an embassy in Israel have it in Tel Aviv, rather than Jerusalem, saying that the status of Jerusalem should be determined during a future two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.