Israel has been approved by the regional Pacific Islands Forum as a second-tier partner in a new two-tier partnership stream.
This means that, as a "sectoral" partner, Israel will engage at the ministerial level, whereas "strategic" partners such as the US, China, and the EU engage directly with PIF leaders.
There was some confusion this morning after Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar announced on social media that the Pacific Islands Forum Secretary General, Baron Waqa, had told him "that Israel has been accepted as a Forum Partner following a meeting at the Forum's member state leaders in Palau".
The Pacific Islands Forum secretariat had made no announcement.
1News understands the leaders agreed Israel would be a second tier partner at the Pacific Islands Forum meeting in Palau last month but nothing was announced at the time as all countries needed to be advised first which partnership stream they were in.
The tiers will be reviewed in a year.
Sa'ar said Israel would focus on cooperating on regional priorities and "Israel's expertise in water management, desalination, agriculture, tackling climate change, innovation and sustainable development".
The two-tier system came about because some of the 21 countries formerly described as "dialogue partners" contributed little in the way of engagement with the Pacific Islands Forum.
There's also been concern about the increasing international interference in forum business.
At last month's forum meeting, Palau President Surangel Whipps Jnr, who chaired the meeting, said Pacific partners were welcome, but it was not up to them to determine the region's direction.
"Our partners are welcome to sail with us, but they do not choose our destination," he said.
Next year's Pacific Islands Forum Leaders meeting will be hosted in New Zealand.
Labour critical of Israel approval
Labour foreign affairs spokesperson Vanushi Walters said her party would have firmly opposed the inclusion of Israel as a partner in the Pacific Islands Forum at the meeting in Palau.
"We have been clear that we will impose economic sanctions on Israel if elected," she said.
Christopher Luxon has been highly critical of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Walters said this should be followed up in the wake of the Pacific Island Forum.
"[Luxon] has serious questions to answer on what steps New Zealand took to object to Israel becoming a Pacific Islands Forum partner," she said.
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