Key points
- French-Saudi conference next month at United Nations headquarters
- Israel has killed over 54,000 Palestinians since 2023
- The majority of whom were women and children
ISLAMABAD: Malta has declared the country’s decision to officially recognise Palestinian statehood amid the Israeli regime’s ongoing genocidal war against Palestinians in the besieged Gaza Strip.
Speaking at an event in northern Malta on Sunday, Prime Minister Robert Abela said the formal recognition of Palestinian statehood will take place during next month’s French-Saudi conference promoting a two-state solution at the United Nations headquarters in New York, according to the English daily Times of Malta.
“We cannot close our eyes to this human tragedy that is getting worse every day,” Abela was quoted as saying in reference to Israel’s brutal bombardment of Gaza, which killed nearly 54,000 Palestinians, the majority of whom were women and children.
Moral responsibility
Abela said the move is a moral responsibility and that Palestine will be recognised following a conference on June 20.
The premier was also shocked by the tragic deaths of nine children of Palestinian pediatrician Dr Alaa Al-Najjar on Saturday when Israeli forces bombed their home in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, critically injuring her doctor husband and leaving only one of their children to mourn.
Malta is ready to welcome Dr Alaa Al-Najjar and her family to the country, Abela said.
UN membership
The small European island-state, located in the Mediterranean Sea already, hosts a Palestinian ambassador and voted last year for full Palestinian UN membership, but has yet to formally recognise the Palestinian state, according to Press TV.
In total, 143 countries voted in favour of upgrading Palestine’s status at the world body, while nine voted against and 25 abstained.
The UN resolution also granted new “rights and privileges” to Palestine, thus recognising it as a qualified state to join the UN as a full member.
