Malta Plans Official Recognition of Palestine in June Amid Gaza Crisis

Malta's Prime Minister Robert Abela has announced that Malta will officially recognise the State of Palestine on June 20, ending over 45 years of hesitation on the issue. This decision aligns with an upcoming United Nations conference aimed at advancing a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict and follows growing international condemnation of Israel's actions in Gaza, which have resulted in a severe humanitarian crisis with over 50,000 deaths. While Malta has hosted a Palestinian ambassador and offered implicit recognition for years, this move will mark the country's first formal diplomatic recognition. Abela framed the recognition as a moral responsibility amid worsening violence and expressed Malta's willingness to provide asylum to Dr. Alaa Al-Najjar and her family, who suffered devastating losses in an Israeli strike on Gaza. The Palestinian ambassador to Malta, Fadi Hanania, urged the country not to delay the recognition any longer, emphasizing the urgency given current events. Malta's recognition reflects a broader shift in European attitudes, with multiple EU countries adopting firmer stances on the conflict and humanitarian concerns.