Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar announced Sunday that Samoa will open an embassy in Jerusalem, a rare gesture at a time when most foreign diplomatic missions are located in Tel Aviv.
Upoui/ Samoa © Mena Today
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar announced Sunday that Samoa will open an embassy in Jerusalem, a rare gesture at a time when most foreign diplomatic missions are located in Tel Aviv.
On his X account, Saar said he had "thanked" Samoan Prime Minister La'auli Leuatea Schmidt "for his moral decision to open an embassy in Jerusalem in 2026" and for the Pacific island nation's "constant support in multilateral forums."
The vast majority of countries maintaining formal diplomatic presence in Israel have established their embassies in Tel Aviv, reflecting the international community's position on Jerusalem's contested status. Beyond Samoa, only seven countries currently maintain embassies in Jerusalem: the United States, Guatemala, Honduras, Kosovo, Papua New Guinea, Fiji, and Paraguay.
Samoa's decision to join the small group of countries with Jerusalem embassies represents a diplomatic victory for Israel, particularly coming from a Pacific island nation that has historically maintained friendly relations with the Jewish state in international forums.
Iran's interim deal with the U.S. looks set to bolster Hezbollah's political and financial hand in Lebanon, with Tehran promising more funding for its ally once cash starts to flow, according to four sources familiar with ties between Tehran and the group.
U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday issued a rare public rebuke of Israel's military tactics in Lebanon targeting Hezbollah militants, saying it was unnecessary to bomb entire apartment buildings to hunt militants.
Shortly after the U.S. and Israel launched airstrikes on Iran on February 28, U.S. President Donald Trump laid out a host of objectives, from destroying Iran's ballistic missile capabilities to ensuring Tehran can never have a nuclear weapon.
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