Israel–Papua New Guinea Relations

Israel and Papua New Guinea established diplomatic relations in 1978, three years after Papua New Guinea gained independence from Australia.[1][2] For decades thereafter, Israel managed the relationship through its embassy in Canberra rather than maintaining a resident mission in Port Moresby.[2] Papua New Guinea, for its part, had maintained honorary representation in Israel before eventually upgrading to a full diplomatic presence.[2]

In October 2013, Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Peter O'Neill made the first visit to Israel by a sitting prime minister of his country.[3] During that trip O'Neill met with Israeli leaders and expressed interest in expanding science and technology cooperation, as well as developing Papua New Guinea's existing Defense Cooperation Program with Israel to rebuild and improve the PNG Defense Force; bilateral security talks had already been underway before the visit.[3]

A 2013 agreement between the two governments waived visa requirements for holders of diplomatic and official passports.[2] A 2015 Joint Declaration of Cooperation broadened the formal agenda, covering agriculture, energy, fisheries, higher education, agricultural internships, and healthcare.[2]

In February 2023, Papua New Guinea Foreign Minister Justin Tkachenko confirmed plans to open an embassy in Jerusalem during a call with Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen, who described the decision as evidence of a "warm and important relationship." The Jerusalem mission was to be Papua New Guinea's first permanent embassy in Israel.[4]

On September 5, 2023, Prime Minister James Marape and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu jointly inaugurated Papua New Guinea's embassy at Jerusalem Technology Park in the southern part of the city.[2][5] The ceremony was also attended by Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen, Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion, and a senior Papua New Guinean ministerial delegation.[5] Papua New Guinea became the first Pacific Island country, and the fifth country overall at the time, to maintain an embassy in Jerusalem — joining the United States, Guatemala, Honduras, and Kosovo.[2][5]

Marape connected the decision explicitly to his country's Christian faith. At the opening, he said, "As Christians, paying respect to God would not be complete without recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel."[6] He also cited Papua New Guinea's "strong spiritual connections" and shared Christian principles with Israel, describing the choice as an exercise of his country's sovereign right.[2] Netanyahu called Papua New Guinea a "true friend" of Israel and described it as the first country from the Asia-Pacific region to open an embassy in Jerusalem.[2][5] Israel's Foreign Ministry said the opening would strengthen and deepen bilateral relations.[2]

Under the arrangement accompanying the opening, Israel agreed to fund the embassy premises for the first two years, while a separate report quoted Marape as saying three years. Israel also agreed to provide land on which Papua New Guinea could build a permanent embassy.[7][8] The Israeli Foreign Ministry did not deny the reported financial assistance, noting that similar support had been extended to Honduras and Kosovo.[8] Marape also urged Israel to open an embassy in Papua New Guinea.[6]

In October 2024, Papua New Guinea's Henry Mokono presented his credentials to Israeli President Isaac Herzog as the country's first resident ambassador to Israel; previous PNG ambassadors had been based in London.[9] Mokono and his team were at that point seeking a permanent site, having been operating from a temporary location in the Malha neighborhood of Jerusalem.[9] By December 2024, Papua New Guinea was listed among the five countries with embassies in Jerusalem, when Paraguay's reopening of its mission made it the sixth.[10][11]

The practical substance of the bilateral relationship has been built largely through development cooperation. Israel has provided assistance to Papua New Guinea through MASHAV, Israel's international development cooperation agency, across a range of sectors including agriculture, hydro and solar energy, fisheries, information and communications technology, security, and health.[2]

Israeli agricultural investment has produced measurable results on the ground. The Israeli company Innovative Agriculture (Agro) Industry began operating in Papua New Guinea in 2011, developing the 9 Mile Vegetable Farm near Port Moresby.[12] During Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Sharren Haskel's October 2025 Pacific tour, she visited Papua New Guinea and toured the facility. Haskel said Papua New Guinea had moved from importing all of its fruits and vegetables to exporting strawberries and other produce, with workers trained in Israel returning to manage the operation locally.[12] She also said Papua New Guinea had reached 80% domestic production of dairy products, having previously imported all of them from Australia.[12] Israeli agricultural projects have also been established at Ilimo near Port Moresby and in Southern Highlands Province.[2]

In 2016, Bank Leumi announced it would provide $37 million in financing for a cow farm and dairy in Papua New Guinea, a venture established by Israel's LR Group, controlled by Ami Lustig and Roy Ben Yami. The financing was structured as buyer's credit for the Papua New Guinean government-owned company receiving LR Group's services, backed by a local-government guarantee and insured by Israel's Foreign Trade Risks Insurance Corporation (Ashra).[13] LR Group has also been identified in connection with greenhouse operations in Papua New Guinea and plans to deploy solar-powered E-Cube container units there — self-contained units producing electricity for medical clinics, study centers, and communal refrigeration — following an initial deployment in Nigeria.[14]

During Marape's 2023 visit to Israel, Papua New Guinea engaged with MASHAV's Agricultural Training Center and invited it to cooperate with the country's National Agricultural Research Institute.[2] Separately, in 2016 Israel sent a mobile water-purification and desalination unit to Papua New Guinea during a severe drought, providing clean drinking water to rural communities.[2]

Papua New Guinea has often voted with Israel in international forums, though its record includes exceptions.[6] In December 2023, Papua New Guinea voted against a UN General Assembly resolution calling for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire, aligning with Israel's position.[1] In February 2023, Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen thanked Papua New Guinea for what he called its "overwhelming support" in international institutions during a call with Foreign Minister Justin Tkachenko.[4]

Nonetheless, on December 21, 2017, Papua New Guinea voted in favor of UN General Assembly resolution A/RES/ES-10/19 on the "Status of Jerusalem," which was adopted by 128 votes to 9, with 35 abstentions.[15] Papua New Guinea also voted in 2018 to condemn the United States' recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital.[16] These votes predated the shift in policy that culminated in Papua New Guinea's own decision to locate its embassy in Jerusalem.

Papua New Guinea continued to support Israel in international forums following the October 7, 2023 Hamas terrorist attack on Israel.[2] During Deputy Foreign Minister Haskel's October 2025 visit to Papua New Guinea, she thanked Marape for his country's sustained support, specifically including the Jerusalem embassy decision.[2][12] Marape in turn reaffirmed Papua New Guinea's recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital and called on Hamas to take the first step toward peace.[2]

In December 2023, Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen announced plans for a Papua New Guinean honorary consulate in Ariel, described as combining faith-based diplomacy with a goal of expanding trade in agriculture, health, and technology.[6] The cited reporting describes this as a planned announcement rather than an established mission.

In March 2026, Papua New Guinea temporarily closed its Jerusalem embassy, citing the regional conflict involving Israel, the United States, and Iran. Foreign Minister Justin Tkatchenko characterized the closure as a security measure, with operations relocated to Port Moresby, and described it as a suspension rather than a reversal of Papua New Guinea's Jerusalem policy.[2] In June 2026, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar announced that Israel would open a representative office in Papua New Guinea after a call with Marape, citing Marape's 2023 embassy decision as an expression of friendship.[17] The announcement described the office as a planned development rather than an already established mission.[17]

The location of Papua New Guinea's embassy in Jerusalem sits within the broader international dispute over Jerusalem's status.[4] The embassy decision and associated statements recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's capital reflect Papua New Guinea's sovereign policy choice.[2] Papua New Guinea's earlier UN votes illustrate the policy shift that preceded the 2023 decision: it supported the 2017 Jerusalem status resolution and voted in 2018 to condemn the US recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital.[15][16]

Sources also differ on the period for which Israel agreed to cover embassy costs, with one report citing two years and another quoting Marape as saying three years.[7][8] The honorary consulate in Ariel announced in December 2023 was reported as a plan; the cited source does not establish that it subsequently opened.[6]