Malta pledges recognition of Palestinian state

Maltese Prime Minister accuses Israel of carrying out a “relentless assault” on Gaza, vows to back French-Saudi summit next month promoting international recognition of unilateral Palestinian statehood.

By World Israel News Staff

Malta’s Prime Minister excoriated Israel’s continued war against the Hamas terror organization in Gaza on Sunday, while declaring his support for unilateral Palestinian statehood.

During a political event in Mosta, Malta on Sunday, Prime Minister Robert Abela lauded a French-Saudi summit planned at the United Nations on June 17-18, aimed at promoting recognition of unilateral Palestinian statehood.

Currently, 147 nations recognize the Palestine Liberation Organization’s statehood declaration, though a majority of European states and other OECD members – including the United States, Japan, Canada, Australia, and South Korea – have thus far declined to do so.

Abela pledged that Malta will recognize unilateral Palestinian statehood following next month’s summit, ending the tiny island nation’s ambiguous position on the matter.

Following the PLO’s declaration of statehood, made from Algiers, in November 1988, Malta recognized a Palestinian right to self-determination, but fell short of recognizing the PLO’s claim to statehood.

Malta, with a population of just over half a million, used its temporary position on the UN Security Council in April 2024 to vote in favor of a measure backing Palestinian statehood. The resolution was vetoed by the United States.

Abela also decried the IDF campaign in Gaza, calling for a ceasefire and dramatic increase in the flow of humanitarian aid.

“We cannot close our eyes to this human tragedy that is getting worse every day,” Abela said, calling the Israeli campaign against Hamas as a “relentless assault” on Gaza.