“Malta continues to unequivocally condemn the actions of the terrorist group Hamas and while pointing out Israel’s right to defend itself according to the parameters of international law, it is important that the Hamas group is not singled out with the Palestinians in Gaza.”
This was the main message of Prime Minister Robert Abela in an extraordinary meeting of the European Council that was held virtually between European leaders to discuss the current situation in the Middle East. “The message of our country remains a consistent one that international law is respected between those involved and the fair and comprehensive path to peace remains the two-state solution”, stressed Prime Minister Abela when he addressed the European Council from the Castille.
Prime Minister Robert Abela said that the European Union should focus on five important points immediately to address the tensions in the Middle East. He said that the immediate call for the unconditional release of hostages captured by Hamas in Gaza must remain. Dr Abela said that we also want to reduce the escalation of the conflict in other areas in the Middle East region. This should be done in a coordinated manner with other partner countries in the Middle East.
Prime Minister Abela explained that we want to ensure that humanitarian aid reaches those who need it. “It is crucial that organizations that want to provide urgent help have the financial resources to do so”, stressed the Maltese Prime Minister. He said that as a European Union we must intensify our efforts on internal security against the background of the conflict in the Middle East. The Prime Minister also pointed out the need for continuous monitoring of the situation also because the conflict could lead to a challenge in immigration. The fact that the European Commission is ready to support neighboring countries in this regard was welcomed here.
Prime Minister Robert Abela ended his intervention by mentioning that as a European Union we must continue to dialogue with the Israeli Government and the Palestinian Authority.
Photo (OPM)
