Maltese Prime Minister Robert Abela has announced that Malta will officially recognize the State of Palestine, citing an unfolding “human tragedy” and bringing a 45-year national debate on the matter to a close. However, the formal recognition will take place next month, following a conference scheduled for June 20.
“We cannot close our eyes to this human tragedy that is getting worse every day,” Abela said, referring to the ongoing war on Gaza, where nearly 54,000 people, mostly children and women, have reportedly lost their lives.
The announcement was made during a political event on Sunday, where Abela addressed both local and international issues, with a strong focus on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
He shared his reflections from a recent visit to Palestinian refugee camps in Jordan, where he met children brought to Malta for medical treatment.
During the event, the Prime Minister expressed Malta’s willingness to receive paediatrician Dr Alaa Al-Najjar and her family. While treating patients in a hospital in southern Gaza, Al-Najjar lost nine of her ten children to an Israeli strike, and her husband and son was critically wounded.
