Malta to Officially Recognize a Palestinian State Today

The office of Maltese Prime Minister Robert Abela has announced that the country will officially recognize the State of Palestine today at the UN General Assembly in New York. By doing so, Malta joins a growing list of nations taking this step to promote a two-state solution and end the conflict in Gaza.

This announcement follows yesterday's recognitions from the UK, Canada, Australia, and Portugal. It is also expected that France and several other countries will follow suit today.

Prime Minister Abela first announced his country's plans for recognition back in May. As a member of the European Union, the Mediterranean island has a long history of supporting Palestinian causes and the two-state solution, all while maintaining diplomatic relations with Israel. The late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's wife lived on the island for several years.

In a Facebook post late Sunday, Abela commended the delivery of a shipment of flour donated by Malta to Gaza, made "on the eve of Malta's recognition of a Palestinian state." He stated that the recognition is "historic" and that Malta remains committed to achieving peace in the region.