Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka states that there are times when, as the leader of the nation, he will have to make unilateral decisions and be able to stand up for those decisions when the other parties to the coalition come together.

Defending the government’s choice to vote against a UN resolution urging a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, Rabuka highlights that the authority for such decisions was granted to him by the vote of confidence.

Speaking to the media in Ba, Rabuka says that there are times when, as the leader, he can make that decision.

The Prime Minister says that parliamentary members who are dissatisfied with his choices are welcome to voice their concerns openly.

“We are united under the current leadership with me as the Prime Minister and the three Deputy Prime Ministers. And we would consult now that we have had the reservations expressed by one of the coalition partners. We will go and deal with it in-house.” 

Rabuka’s stance has sparked debate among members of the public, with some lauding his commitment while others are questioning it.

The Fiji government has stated that it firmly supports Israel’s right to defend itself and, in this case, to counteract Hamas, a designated terrorist organization.

According to a statement issued earlier, addressing all aspects of the situation is crucial to achieving lasting peace.

The government states that if the actions of Hamas are not unequivocally denounced in the resolution, the attainment of lasting peace remains in jeopardy.

Fiji is among the 14 countries, including the United States, Austria, Croatia, Czechia, Guatemala, Hungary, Israel, the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, and Tonga, that voted against the resolution drafted by the Arab nations

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