In a stunning twist of diplomatic irony, Fiji will proudly open its new embassy in Jerusalem next week, complete with ribbon-cutting, bula shirts and skirt, and photo ops, just as Israel bombs Qatar, the Gulf state that once negotiated the release of 45 kidnapped Fijian UN peacekeepers from Al Nusra in 2014 without demanding a single cent.
Yes, the same Qatar that quietly worked back channels to free our soldiers while Canberra was warning Suva not to trust Doha because of its alleged ties to Al Nusra, is now being pummelled by Israel, and Fiji appears blissfully unbothered.
Back in 2014, Australians had urged Fiji to deal via Jordan instead, insisting Qatar was too close to the kidnappers. But Fiji went its own way, and it worked:
“I knew the Qataris better,” said one of the negotiators at the time, the former Ambassador Robin Nair, crediting Doha’s intervention for securing the release without ransom or concessions.
And yet, despite being rescued from a potential international humiliation, and possible accusations of funding terrorists, Fiji never sent Doha so much as a “vinaka vakalevu”.
Fast-forward to 2025, and Fiji’s diplomatic memory seems shorter than a ministerial statement. With Qatar now accused of harbouring Hamas leaders, Israel has unleashed airstrikes on Doha, and Fiji has chosen this precise moment to stand on Israel’s red carpet, opening an embassy in Jerusalem, a move that many of our traditional partners in the Middle East view as deeply provocative.
Burning Bridges, One Embassy at a Time
This is not just symbolism. For years, Qatar has wielded influence far beyond its size, acting as a discreet fixer in hostage negotiations across the Middle East, from Syria to Gaza. Fiji has benefited directly from that quiet power once before.
But what happens next time?
What if, heaven forbid, another group of Fijian soldiers deployed on UN missions in the Middle East are taken hostage?
Who will answer the phone in Doha after next week’s embassy launch? Will Qatar, bombed by Israel and snubbed by Suva, still lift a finger to save us?
As one regional analyst put it bluntly:
“Fiji has a habit of forgetting who its friends are. In 2014, Qatar was our lifeline. In 2025, we’re aligning ourselves with the very country bombing it. That’s not diplomacy. That’s geopolitics on kava.”
Right Place, Wrong Time
The Coalition government will, of course, frame next week’s ceremony as a bold foreign policy move, strengthening ties with Israel and “standing with democracy”. But to many watching from the Middle East, it looks less like strategic positioning and more like strategic amnesia.
One decade, Doha saved us from paying millions to terrorists, and saved 45 lives.
The next, we open an embassy in Jerusalem as Israel bombs Doha.
Somewhere in Qatar, a diplomat is still waiting for a “thank you” email that will never come.
And maybe, just maybe, the next time Fiji needs a miracle, the silence on the other end of the line will be deafening.
Yes, the same Qatar that quietly worked back channels to free our soldiers while Canberra was warning Suva not to trust Doha because of its alleged ties to Al Nusra, is now being pummelled by Israel, and Fiji appears blissfully unbothered.
Back in 2014, Australians had urged Fiji to deal via Jordan instead, insisting Qatar was too close to the kidnappers. But Fiji went its own way, and it worked:
“I knew the Qataris better,” said one of the negotiators at the time, the former Ambassador Robin Nair, crediting Doha’s intervention for securing the release without ransom or concessions.
And yet, despite being rescued from a potential international humiliation, and possible accusations of funding terrorists, Fiji never sent Doha so much as a “vinaka vakalevu”.
Fast-forward to 2025, and Fiji’s diplomatic memory seems shorter than a ministerial statement. With Qatar now accused of harbouring Hamas leaders, Israel has unleashed airstrikes on Doha, and Fiji has chosen this precise moment to stand on Israel’s red carpet, opening an embassy in Jerusalem, a move that many of our traditional partners in the Middle East view as deeply provocative.
Burning Bridges, One Embassy at a Time
This is not just symbolism. For years, Qatar has wielded influence far beyond its size, acting as a discreet fixer in hostage negotiations across the Middle East, from Syria to Gaza. Fiji has benefited directly from that quiet power once before.
But what happens next time?
What if, heaven forbid, another group of Fijian soldiers deployed on UN missions in the Middle East are taken hostage?
Who will answer the phone in Doha after next week’s embassy launch? Will Qatar, bombed by Israel and snubbed by Suva, still lift a finger to save us?
As one regional analyst put it bluntly:
“Fiji has a habit of forgetting who its friends are. In 2014, Qatar was our lifeline. In 2025, we’re aligning ourselves with the very country bombing it. That’s not diplomacy. That’s geopolitics on kava.”
Right Place, Wrong Time
The Coalition government will, of course, frame next week’s ceremony as a bold foreign policy move, strengthening ties with Israel and “standing with democracy”. But to many watching from the Middle East, it looks less like strategic positioning and more like strategic amnesia.
One decade, Doha saved us from paying millions to terrorists, and saved 45 lives.
The next, we open an embassy in Jerusalem as Israel bombs Doha.
Somewhere in Qatar, a diplomat is still waiting for a “thank you” email that will never come.
And maybe, just maybe, the next time Fiji needs a miracle, the silence on the other end of the line will be deafening.
