“The escalation of the Israel-Hamas conflict into the wider region is no longer a looming spectre but has now become a reality. The deeply alarming developments across the Blue Line and into Lebanon are increasing civilian deaths and mass displacement on both sides. A ceasefire is now more crucial than ever before.”
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister and Minister for Foreign and European Affairs and Trade Ian Borg highlighted the alarming escalation of violence in the Middle East when he was addressing a United Nations (UN) Security Council dialogue with the League of Arab States, during the High-Level Week of the 79th UN General Assembly, in New York.
Minister Borg encouraged the other members of the Security Council, the League of Arab States and other regional partners to continue promoting dialogue and de-escalation. He welcomed ongoing efforts for a ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon.
“The harrowing plight of civilians in Gaza and the Palestinian territories cannot be ignored any longer. The humanitarian situation is catastrophic, and women and children continue to suffer in a disproportionate manner. Humanitarians are working in desperate conditions, and too many have paid the ultimate price,” the Deputy Prime Minister said.
Malta remains steadfast in calling for a credible and irreversible realisation of the two-State Solution, as a core objective of all ongoing efforts. “Only through this path can long-lasting peace be achieved for Israelis, Palestinians, and the wider region,” Borg added.
During the final days of UNGA 79, the Deputy Prime Minister also co-hosted a Leaders’ Meeting of the Coalition for Addressing Sea-level Rise and its Existential Threat (C-SET) and participated at the Annual Meeting of the Informal Ministerial Network for the International Criminal Court. He also had meetings with Secretary-General of the United Nations Antonio Guterres and with Foreign Ministers Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan of the United Arab Emirates, Hakan Fidan of Türkiye, and Rashid Meredov of Turkmenistan.
UNGA 79 High Level Week saw Maltese diplomats participating in more than 90 high level events and meetings and 27 bilateral meetings with different countries, spanning four continents, as well as meetings with international organisations.
Photos (ODPM-MFET)
