Israeli-Samoan relations - bilateral international diplomatic, economic, cultural and other relations between Israel and the Solomon Islands .
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Diplomatic relations between the two countries were established in 1998. Israel has no embassy in Honiara ; instead, a non-resident ambassador from Canberra , Australia , as well as an honorary consul, work with the country.
History
In 2004, Israeli ambassador Michael Ronen presented his credentials to the head of state. Based in Canberra, Australia, the head of the diplomatic mission offered the island state health assistance and invited Solomon farmers to study in Israel. [one]
In 2009, the Solomon Islands became the only Pacific state to vote for a resolution condemning the condemning counter-terrorism operation carried out by the IDF in Gaza in 2009. Earlier, representatives of the Solomon Islands government held talks with representatives of Iran, who promised to help the island state in the construction of the dam, as well as to pay for the study of 20 medical students in Cuba. The media suggest [2] that this is why the island nation voted in favor of the resolution. The remaining states of the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau and Australia supported the Jewish state by voting. At the end of 2009, Israel sent an official representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the Solomon Islands in order to negotiate with the officials of this state and establish relations between the two countries. [3]
In 2012, at the 193rd UN General Assembly, a representative of the Solomon Islands voted to upgrade the status of Palestine in this organization from an “observer” to a “non-member”. Solomon Islands and Tuvalu were the only Pacific countries that voted in favor of the resolution. Israeli consul Leliana Firisua called the event "a sad day in the friendship between Israel and the Solomon Islands." [four]
In March 2016, the special envoy of the Israeli Foreign Ministry in the Pacific, Shimona Halperin, met with the Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands, Manasse Sogawar . The visit followed the request of the island state from the MASHAV organization in the field of fishing, agriculture and education. Halperin was accompanied by the Honorary Consul of Israel in the Solomon Islands Leliana Ferisua. The Israeli delegation also met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, as well as senior government officials from the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock and the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources. [five]