The European nation of Malta has announced its intention to formally recognize the State of Palestine, joining a growing number of countries backing Palestinian statehood.
According to international media reports, Prime Minister Robert Abela made the announcement on Sunday during a political event where he addressed both domestic and global issues, with a particular focus on the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
“We cannot turn a blind eye to the humanitarian tragedy unfolding in Gaza. Recognizing Palestine as a state is a moral responsibility,” Prime Minister Abela stated.
He confirmed that Malta will officially recognize Palestine following the United Nations conference on the Israel-Palestine conflict scheduled for June 20.
While Malta voted in favor of granting full UN membership to Palestine at the UN Security Council in April last year, the country had not previously extended formal recognition of Palestinian statehood.
It is worth noting that 147 out of 193 UN member states have already recognized Palestine as an independent state.