While Hamas still holds Israeli hostages and fuels terror, Malta follows Britain, Canada, Australia, and others in a misguided recognition of a so-called “Palestinian state.”
Malta has announced that it will formally recognize a so-called “Palestinian state” during the United Nations General Assembly in New York, joining a wave of governments making similar declarations in recent days.
The decision, confirmed by the Maltese Prime Minister’s Office, follows hasty recognitions by Britain, Canada, Australia, and Portugal, with France and other nations expected to follow suit. Critics warn that such moves reward Hamas and the Palestinian Authority at a time when terrorism remains rampant and Israeli civilians are still held hostage.
Prime Minister Robert Abela, who had originally planned to make the announcement at a June UN conference, postponed the declaration until now, framing it as part of Malta’s “commitment to a lasting peace in the Middle East.” In a Facebook post, Abela called the decision “historic,” ignoring the fact that Hamas continues to launch rockets, incite violence, and reject peace initiatives.
Israel and its allies argue that unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state without security guarantees or disarmament of terror groups undermines true peace efforts, emboldens extremists, and dangerously rewrites the path to a negotiated solution.
As Abela prepares his “historic” announcement in New York, Israelis stress that peace will only come through recognition of Israel’s right to exist, the release of all hostages, and the dismantling of terrorist organizations—not symbolic declarations that strengthen those committed to Israel’s destruction.
