News- Middle East: Maltese Prime Minister Robert Abela says the Southern European nation will declare its recognition of a Palestinian state during the forthcoming United Nations General Assembly in September.

“Our position reflects our commitment to efforts for a lasting peace in the Middle East," Abela said in a Facebook post on Tuesday evening.

The government of Malta had faced mounting pressure from within its own ranks to recognize a Palestinian state, and in mid-July, the center-right opposition also urged for immediate recognition.

The Mediterranean EU island has a history of support for Palestinian causes and has backed efforts for a so-called two-state solution.

Abela initially revealed intentions to recognize a Palestinian state in May, indicating that this would occur during a United Nations conference in June; however, the conference was subsequently delayed.

The Maltese Prime Minister made the announcement just hours after his British counterpart, Keir Starmer, issued a comparable statement, and only days after France revealed its plan to recognize a Palestinian state. 

Meanwhile, the Secretary-General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Hussein Ibrahim Taha, has welcomed the British premier’s announcement regarding the United Kingdom's plan to recognize the State of Palestine in September.

In a statement, Taha confirmed that this action aligns with international law and relevant UN resolutions, representing a significant endorsement of the Palestinian people's right to self-determination.

He emphasized that recognition of the State of Palestine is a political, legal, and ethical obligation, serving as a foundation for achieving peace and aiding in the safeguarding and implementation of the so-called two-state solution.

Taha reiterated his call on states that have not yet recognized the State of Palestine to do so and support its full membership in the United Nations.

On Wednesday, France’s top diplomat said his country and 4 other Western nations have called on countries worldwide to move to recognize a Palestinian state.

The foreign ministers of 15 countries late Tuesday issued a joint statement following a conference in New York, co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia, aimed at reviving a two-state solution between Israelis and the Palestinians.

“In New York, together with 14 other countries, France is issuing a collective appeal: we express our desire to recognize the State of Palestine and invite those who have not yet done so to join us,” French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot wrote on X.

Last week, President Emmanuel Macron declared his intention to officially recognize Palestinian statehood in September, eliciting significant backlash from both Israel and the United States.

France aims to generate momentum for the official recognition of a Palestinian state.

Source: Press TV