Embassy of Israel in Wellington closes amid international conflict
A pro-Palestinian protest outside the Israeli Embassy building in 2023.
Photo:
RNZ / Bill Hickman
The Israeli embassy in New Zealand has shut as part of a worldwide closure of the country's diplomatic missions.
The closures comes as
tensions remain high
in the region - Israel launched an
attack on Iranian nuclear and military facilities
on Friday, which Iran responded to with the launch of 100 drones.
The Embassy of Israel - on Brandon Street in Wellington - services Tonga, Samoa, Cook Islands and Niue, as well as New Zealand. It also operates a consulate office in Auckland.
A message on the embassy's website announced the decision:
"In light of recent developments, Israeli missions around the world will be closed and consular services will not be provided," it said.
"An online form is available for Israelis abroad to report their location and current status."
The message also issued general safety guidelines for Israelis abroad - encouraging them to avoid displaying Jewish or Israeli symbols in public spaces and avoid attending large gatherings or events associated with Israel or Jewish communities.
An 'unpublish' date on the message indicated it was intended to appear on the website until the end of July.
RNZ has contacted the embassy for comment.
The move comes as part of a global shutting of Israeli embassies.
Israel's embassy in Sweden said the country would close its diplomatic missions around the world and that consular services would not be provided at about 11pm on Friday night (NZ), Reuters reported. It did not say how long the missions would be closed.
Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero
,
a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
RNZ News
16 minutes ago
- RNZ News
Watch: Winston Peters, Judith Collins speak on Israel-Iran conflict from RNZAF base
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters and Defence Minister Judith Collins are about to make an announcement regarding the Israel-Iran conflict from the Royal New Zealand Airforce Base in the Auckland suburb of Whenuapai at 3pm. The announcement that the ministers would speak on the conflict came before it was revealed the US performed military strikes against three Iranian nuclear sites, including uranium enrichment facility Fordow. Trump said on Truth Social: "We have completed our very successful attack on the three Nuclear sites in Iran, including Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan. All planes are now outside of Iran air space. A full payload of BOMBS was dropped on the primary site, Fordow. All planes are safely on their way home. Congratulations to our great American Warriors. There is not another military in the World that could have done this. NOW IS THE TIME FOR PEACE! Thank you for your attention to this matter." Peters has previously said the provocative behaviour by both Israel and Iran was to be criticised, and New Zealand did not take sides in a conflict of this nature. "There are no innocent parties in this conflict," he said. It was a tragedy that civilians were being killed, Peters said. "The people who are innocent ... that tragedy is just awful and I think New Zealanders understand that with clarity," Peters said. "That's why we try to help where we can, but we are a long way from this conflict." While Peters said we should avoid making judgement without all the information, he noted the conflict in the Middle East has been going on for years. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
23 minutes ago
- RNZ News
Congress members split over US attack on Iran
US President Donald Trump speaks during an address to a joint session of Congress in the House Chamber of the US Capitol in Washington, DC, on 4 March, 2025. Photo: AFP / SAUL LOEB By Richard Cowan , Reuters Republican and Democratic members of the US Congress delivered swift reactions to US bombings of Iranian nuclear facilities early on Sunday (local time). The following are statements from key lawmakers: Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker, a Mississippi Republican, applauded the operation but cautioned that the United States now faced "very serious choices ahead." Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Jim Risch, Republican of Idaho, said, "This war is Israel's war, not our war, but Israel is one of our strongest allies and is disarming Iran for the good of the world." Risch added, "This is not the start of a forever war. There will not be American boots on the ground in Iran." "This is not constitutional," conservative Republican Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky said on social media. He was referring to the power of Congress to declare war on foreign countries. US House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican of Louisiana, said, "The president gave Iran's leader every opportunity to make a deal, but Iran refused to commit to a nuclear disarmament agreement." "The president's decisive action prevents the world's largest state sponsor of terrorism, which chants 'Death to America,' from obtaining the most lethal weapon on the planet." Senate Majority Leader John Thune, a South Dakota Republican, said, "I stand with President Trump." Democratic Representative Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, a daughter of Palestinian immigrants: "President Trump sending US troops to bomb Iran without the consent of Congress is a blatant violation of our Constitution. The American people do not want another forever war. We have seen where decades of endless war in the Middle East gets us - all based on the lie of 'weapons of mass destruction'." Democratic Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia said the US public "is overwhelmingly opposed to the U.S. waging war on Iran" and said Trump displayed "horrible judgement." Max Rose, a former Democratic member of Congress who now is a senior adviser to the progressive veterans' group "VoteVets," said, "Trump's decision to launch direct strikes against Iran without congressional authorization is illegal." Rose added, "This conflict is his and the Republicans who have abrogated all their responsibilities." - Reuters
RNZ News
an hour ago
- RNZ News
Iranian in New Zealand plagued by stress as Israel-Iran conflict escalates
MARK HAS CHECKED THIS - OK TO GO This handout satellite image provided by Maxar Technologies shows the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant in central Iran on 14 June 2025. Photo: AFP An Iranian in New Zealand has been plagued by stress as the conflict between Iran and Israel escalates. Although most of Elham Salari's family had fled from Tehran to the south of Iran, she worried about those who had stayed behind. "It's like a feeling that your body is in a safe place, but your mind is not. It's like a detachment between the body and soul," she said. President Donald Trump announced that the United States has completed a "very successful attack" on nuclear sites in Iran - including Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan - on Sunday. "I'm so scared. I'm so stressed... all I'm thinking is 'What's going to happen next?' Trump said he wants peace... but Iran's regime will not let it go easily. There will be a bigger war. It's going to destroy our country and our people are going to die." Salari added it had made her "extremely anxious" to only have limited contact with her family members. Iran's internet connectivity had been partially restored after the Iranian government significantly restricted internet access across the country earlier in the week to protect against Israeli cyberattacks. Salari said she had woken up to messages from her family earlier on Sunday who confirmed they were safe, but she had not been able to get back in contact with them since. "The internet comes a little bit, you get to hear about them, and then it's gone again, so that's also adding to the anxiety, because you can't hear from them... it feels like this silence is more worrying." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
