In a step indicating an increasing international trend, Malta will officially endorse the State of Palestine at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) annual debate in September, Prime Minister Robert Abela stated on Tuesday night.
In a Maltese Facebook post, Abela said, “As a government, we have made the choice that our country will recognize the State of Palestine in the next U.N. General Assembly in September.” He noted that the choice is an expression of Malta’s “dedication to a solution which ensures enduring peace in the Middle East.
The declaration was made only hours after Malta’s Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs and Tourism, Christopher Cutajar, reaffirmed the decision in a UN conference on Palestinian statehood co-organized by France and Saudi Arabia in New York. Abela first disclosed his intentions on recognition back in May, adding that the official announcement would be made at the time of the UN conference.
Summit Pushes for Two-State Framework
The ministerial-level conference, which was staged over two days at UN headquarters, attracted more than 55 countries. It sought to craft an action-oriented output document setting out irreversible moves toward the long-dormant two-state solution.
While most countries expressed solidarity, America and Israel conspicuously boycotted the summit, calling it a unilateral action that circumvents direct talks. The two countries assert that meaningful peace has to be achieved through negotiations between the affected parties.
UK, France Signal Recognition Amid Gaza Conflict
At the same summit, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer informed journalists that Britain would recognize Palestine if Israel does not make “substantive steps” towards stopping the violence in Gaza and agreeing to “a long-term sustainable peace.”
“Unless there are substantive steps towards stopping the horrific circumstances in the Gaza Strip and rekindling the option of a two-state solution, then ‘Palestine’ will be recognized,” Starmer said.
The remark earned a virulent attack from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who posted on X, “Starmer rewards Hamas’s monstrous terrorism & punishes its victims… Appeasement towards jihadist terrorists always fails.”
French President Emmanuel Macron also announced his plan to grant recognition to Palestine at the UNGA in September. “The immediate priority today is to put an end to the war in Gaza and bring relief to the civilian population,” Macron stated, adding, “I will make this solemn pronouncement before the U.N. General Assembly.”
Netanyahu denounced Macron’s position as an award for terrorism. “Such a step rewards terror and can lead to another Iranian proxy… Palestinians are not interested in a state alongside Israel. They want a state in place of Israel,” he asserted.”
Global Divides Deepen Over Recognition
With Malta joining the UK and France in calling for Palestinian recognition, the gap between Western powers and Israel’s stance widens further. With UNGA in September looking like a defining moment, the battle for a two-state solution may witness increased diplomatic heat on the global stage.
