This last week, international political observers would have been astonished to see a news item in Fiji Village that as part of the setting up of an Israeli Embassy in Fiji, there will be an MOU signed between the two countries for Fijians to “undergo diplomatic training conducted by Israel”.
Whatever Israel’s suitability to conduct “training in diplomacy” it should be of concern to Fiji that given Israel’s pariah status globally, this initiative has very serious long-term implications for the welfare of Fijians- in Fiji, in Australia and for Fijian peacekeepers in the Middle East.
Compared with thirty years ago, Fijians today are facing an extremely optimistic future in Australia and NZ in terms of emigration, labour mobility, aid and co-operation on virtually every front including defence.
Fijians in Australasia need to make known their concerns to the Government of Fiji that their foreign policy decision of cooperating with Israel, is wrong on every front and endangers the real long-term benefits in the future.
Those in Fiji ought to understand first of all Australian opposition to “war crimes” by their own citizens and others, and how strongly it affects their foreign policy especially towards the Middle East, Israel and the all-powerful United States.
Keep in mind that the US/Israel wars in the Middle East have not only totally threatened West’s traditional alliances such as NATO, but also disrupted the world’s supplies of oil though the Strait of Hormuz, causing global inflation and even a threat of recession in the West.
Australia’s attitude to war crimes by their citizens
Observers in Australia and internationally would have been astonished at the recent arrest of a former Australian Defence Force Member (Ben Roberts-Smith) charged with five counts for crimes of murder of unarmed civilians in Afghanistan who were “detained, unarmed and under the control of ADF Members”.
Whether Roberts-Smith is found guilty or not by Australian courts, what the Fiji public should note is that Roberts-Smith is one of the highest decorated living veterans in Australia having been awarded the Victoria Cross and the Medal for Gallantry for his service in Afghanistan.
This case illustrates how strong is Australia’s adherence to the “rule of law”, regardless of how socially powerful the alleged perpetrators of the crime may be (Victoria Cross winners), and where the crime is committed (Afghanistan), and who against (ordinary peasant civilians).
Australia, US and Israel
Observers of Australia’s foreign policy have been fascinated by how the Australian Government (Prime Minister Albanese and Foreign Minister Penny Wong) have walked a tightrope over the war by US and Israel over Iran and the Middle East and adamantly refused to join in their wars.
President Trump has even gone public with his dissatisfaction with Australia (and UK/Europe/NATO) for refusing to join his unilateral war on Iran and his policies on the Straits of Hormuz.
This standoff between Australia and US is quite remarkable given that Australia is a formal signatory to the AUKUS Agreement which will impose a massive financial burden on Australia of around $300 billion over the next thirty years on 3 nuclear submarines which may (or may not) be delivered in thirty years’ time.
The Australian Government, like the United Nations, has serious reservations about the US declaration of war on Iran, threats to its civilian infrastructure (such as bridges and power stations) which are classifiable as “war crimes”, and US’s total support of Israel and its indiscriminate bombing of Gaza Palestine, and Lebanon.
The Australian Government would be aware that Israel’s indiscriminate bombing of Gaza and Lebanon (supposedly of Hezbollah targets) has resulted in over 75,000 deaths (70 per cent being women and children), 170,000 injured, and displacement of over 90 per cent of the population (more than a million people whose homes have been razed.
Since 2013, the UN has condemned Israel 45 times. At the International Court of Justice, South Africa condemnation of Israel of committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, has been supported by most UN Member countries with only United States, Fiji and Hungary opposing (Hungary will soon change with its recent change of Government- leaving Fiji alone with US).
There can be no doubt that humanitarian forces in Australia which also includes the Australian Government, are aware that sending bombs and missiles indiscriminately into residential areas in Palestine, Gaza, Lebanon and Iran, must kill tens, hundreds and thousands of innocent unarmed civilians- men, women and children.
These can all be classified as “war crimes” just as the killing of a few unarmed civilians in Afghanistan by former ADF Member Robert-Smith, is being currently investigated by Australian authorities.
Israel and diplomatic training of Fijians?
Given the role of Israel in its brutal wars on Palestine, Gaza and Lebanon, how could any sane observer expect that a small Pacific nation like Fiji can benefit from “training in diplomacy” conducted by Israel?
This would be like having an agreement with Dracula to conduct training for blood transfusions at a hospital.
Is the Fiji Government so bereft of governance ideas that they will jump at any “donor” who offers them thirty pieces of silver?
Why is the Fiji Government not thinking about Australia’s cautious attitude to Israel and United States?
Why is the Fiji Government not thinking about the very serious long-term risks to Fijians’ welfare associated with the positive relations that have been bult up over the last twenty years with Australia (and NZ) and which should not be jeopardized by a facetious MOU with Israel?
Fiji and Australia (and NZ)
Some observers have pointed out the risks to Fiji’s peacekeepers in the Middle East if Fiji is seen to be allied to Israel’s interests. The RFMF hierarchy must be well aware of the need for Fijian peacekeepers not just to be, but to be seen as truly neutral, without any obligations to Israel.
But I would strongly urge all Fijians (by which I mean iTaukei, Indo-Fijians and others) to seriously think about how Australia (and NZ) have opened up their doors to enormous economic opportunities for Fiji citizens and their families, taking them out of grinding poverty at home.
Once upon a time, Australia and NZ callously saw the Pacific only in trade and investment terms, devoting years and years of endless negotiations at Forum Secretariat over trivial benefits from PACER and PACER Plus.
But in the last twenty years, Australia and NZ have given in to our pressure to accept labour mobility as an essential part of our overall relations.
Thousands of our workers (and even their families) are now contributing to seasonal work in Australia and NZ and sending large remittances home, while learning skills that they would not have acquired at home.
There are thousands of our sports people (both men and women) playing in their national sports competitions (rugby union, NRL, netball), binding agents far more powerful than religion.
I believe that there are increasing numbers of Fijians (and Pacific Islanders) working in the Australian Defence Forces, many now Australian residents and citizens.
Far more importantly, since the first 1987 coup, hundreds of thousands of Fijians have emigrated to Australia and NZ and become Permanent Residents and citizens, earning income incomes five times that at home, while giving their children quality education and health services.
Initially, these emigrants were mostly Indo-Fijians and Others, but increasingly iTaukei as well in the last ten years. Few have noted that the iTaukei population in Fiji has stopped growing over the last five years as they did in the previous ten years.
But a massive benefit for Fiji has been the enormous rise in remittances (currently over $1,400 millions) sent back to Fiji amounting to more than tourism, sugar and other industries, without any of the necessary expenditure by Fiji taxpayers.
These remittance “foreign earnings” are what have kept the Fiji economy afloat, and Fiji Government expenditure buoyant to the point of irresponsibility given Fiji’s massive public debt.
Australia’s view of the Pacific
Keen observers within Australia are all too aware of Australian paranoia over the influence of foreign powers in the Pacific.
Over the last twenty years, China’s influence with PNG, Solomon Islands and Fiji have caused enormous angst at the Australian Foreign Office.
That has abated somewhat although there may have been some incentives for Australia to increase its aid programs to the Pacific, including all kinds of training including diplomatic training.
That paranoia of China has not stopped Australian Prime Ministers and Foreign Ministers frequently visiting China, ostensible to shore up fuel supplies in the wake of the Straits of Hormuz crisis, but also keeping in mind the strained relations amongst the Western powers. After all, the Chinese economy is now larger than that of United States and still growing, with the growth of the Australian economy also related.
But what positive foreign policy outcome can Australia expect from Israel conducting “diplomatic training” with Fiji officials?
I suggest that this “foreign policy initiative” by the Fiji Government is an extremely dangerous measure pandering to some extremist Biblical attachment of some iTaukei leaders to Jews historically.
Today’s foreign policy initiative by the Fiji Government is however with a brutal modern Israeli state which has totally undermined decades of sympathy the world has had for Jews after the horrors of the Holocaust. Indeed, there are hundreds of thousands of Jews in Israel who are passionately opposed to Netanyahu’s Israel Government.
I sincerely hope that the Fiji Parliament can fully debate the Fiji Government’s intention to sign any agreement for diplomatic training with Israel, keeping in mind risks to our long-term benefits of closer economic, political and social linkages with Australia and NZ.
I suggest that Australia (and NZ) are far more appropriate countries to conduct “diplomatic training” in Fiji than other belligerent pariah countries our rudderless Fiji Government is lazily clutching at.
PROF WADAN NARSEY is one of the region’s senior economists and a regular commentator on political and economic issues in Fiji. The views expressed in this article are his and not necessarily the views of The Fiji Times.
