Israel bought a sewage treatment system for the small island of Nauru in the Pacific just two weeks before it voted against a UN General Assembly resolution on Jerusalem.

Israel’s Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper reported yesterday that the Tenders Committee at the Israeli foreign ministry approved the purchase of the sewage treatment plant at a cost of $72,000 without a tender.

Nauru is only 21 square kilometres large and has a population of only 11,359.

The paper quoted the ministry’s Tenders Committee as saying that “Nauru is the smallest independent island nation with regards to its population and territory. It has close friendly ties with Israel. The president of Nauru appealed to the prime minister, asking to receive aid in the form of a sewage treatment plant, which fits the unique needs of the island.”

The sewage treatment plant will serve a school on the island.

Read: ‘God bless you’, Netanyahu thanks Guatemalan president over Jerusalem embassy move

“The cost of the deal include all additional expenses, including flights, accommodation and living expenses for the team installing the system, as well as the delivery cost,” the paper added.

Nauru was one of nine countries which voted against a UN resolution which condemned US recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s undivided capital.

A total of 128 countries voted in favour of the resolution while 35 abstained.

“Channel 2 reported on Wednesday that Netanyahu plans to start a fund granting $50 million to 50 developing countries to “encourage them” to vote for Israel at the UN,” the news site said.