Former Fiji Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama speaks out on Fiji's decision to vote against the UN resolution for a ceasefire in Gaza Photo: Supplied
The decision by many Pacific states to vote against a UN resolution for a ceasefire in the Gaza conflict has been called hypocritical.
Pacific human rights advocates, academics and political figures are claiming it is akin to being complicit to genocide.
Israel argued that any ceasefire would give Hamas time to rearm and attack Israel again, following the massacre of at least 1,400 Israeli citizens - most of them civilians on October 7.
More than 220 were taken hostage.
Fiji was among five other Pacific states that voted against adopting the United Nations resolution for the "protection of civilians and upholding legal and humanitarian obligations".
The vote resulted in 120 nations including New Zealand, Solomon Islands voting in favour. However, the majority of Pacific states voted against it, siding with the United States, Israel and United Kingdom.
RNZ Pacific's Eleisha Foon reports.
