Malta says it will recognize the state of Palestine, joining France and possibly Britain

UNITED NATIONS: Malta told a high-level UN meeting Wednesday that it will formally recognize the state of Palestine in September, joining France and the United Kingdom in stepping up pressure to end the nearly 80-year Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Christopher Cutajar, the permanent secretary at Malta’s Foreign Ministry, made the announcement at the UN General Assembly’s meeting on a two-state solution to the conflict which has been extended to a third day because of the high number of countries wanting to speak.

Cutajar said Malta has long supported self-determination for the Palestinian people, and “as responsible actors, we have a duty to work to translate the concept of a two-state solution from theory into practice.”

“It is for this reason that the government of Malta has taken the principled decision to formally recognize the state of Palestine at the upcoming UN General Assembly in September,” he said.

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