Malta happy with Israel bilateral relationship, foreign affairs minster tells Netanyahu

Abela says Israel is an ally in the Middle East, maintains it should agree on future status of Jerusalem through peaceful negotations with Palestine

Foreign minister Carmelo Abela visited a centre in Israel commemorating the holocaust, having previously met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
Foreign minister Carmelo Abela visited a centre in Israel commemorating the holocaust, having previously met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

Malta is content with its bilateral relationship with Israel, foreign affairs minister Carmelo Abela has told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, maintaining that the relationship is particularly strong on a commercial and cultural level.

Abela was meeting Netanyahu in Tel Aviv, where bilateral and multilateral relationships, as well as the Mediterranean peace and security situation were amongst the subjects of discussion with the premier.

“In the coming months, we are looking forward to keep building on the momentum we have achieved [in terms of the good relationship],” Abela said, “Our intention is to achieve an ever-closer political friendship. On a more general level, when one considers the developments taking place in the region, my visit came at an opportune time,” he added, as he noted that Malta considered Israel an ally in the region.

In reference to Israel and Palesntine, Abela reiterated Malta’s strive in favour of a solution based on the existence of two states, maintaining that both states should agree on the future status of Jerusalem through meaningful peaceful negotiations.

Abela also met with Michael Oren, deputy minister within the office of the Prime Minister, Israel’s former Opposition leader, the former foreign minister who now leads the HaTnuah party, the European Union special representative of the Middle Eastern Process, Fernando Gentilini, as well as members of the Maltese community in Israel.

He also visited Yad Vashem, a centre commemorating the Holocaust, where he left a wreath of flowers in the name of the Maltese government and people.

The minister was accompanied by Malta’s ambassador to Israel Cecilia Attard-Pirotta.