The Palestinian Foreign Ministry said in a statement that Prime Minister Matta's statement represents "part of the political and international movement to implement the two-state solution."
The Palestinian Foreign Ministry added in its statement that "Malta's move stems from its commitment to international law, its principled positions, and its constant support for the rights of the Palestinian people, their just national struggle, and their right to liberation from the longest military and settler occupation in modern history."
She added that Malta's recognition "is part of the international diplomatic movement that will culminate in further recognitions coinciding with the international conference on implementing the two-state solution, scheduled to be held in New York on June 17 with significant international participation."
On Sunday, Maltese Prime Minister Robert Abela announced that his country will officially recognize the State of Palestine next June.
Abela addressed the genocide being committed by Israel in Gaza, saying, "More than 50,000 people have lost their lives in the war in Gaza. We cannot ignore this humanitarian tragedy, which is worsening by the day."
He noted that his government would be the one to formally recognize the State of Palestine after 45 years of discussions on the issue. The Maltese Prime Minister emphasized that the "decision to recognize" represents a moral responsibility, given the deteriorating situation in the region.
He stated that Malta is prepared to grant asylum to Palestinian pediatrician Alaa al-Najjar and her family, who lost nine of their ten children and had her husband seriously injured in an attack on their home on Saturday while they were treating patients at Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis, in the southern Gaza Strip.
In May 2024, Spain, Norway, and Ireland officially announced their recognition of the State of Palestine, followed by Slovenia and Armenia in June 2024, bringing the number of countries recognizing Palestine to 149 out of 193 UN member states.
Since October 7, 2023, Israel, with full American support, has been committing genocide in Gaza, leaving more than 176,000 Palestinians dead or wounded, most of them children and women, and more than 11,000 missing, in addition to hundreds of thousands displaced.
