Abela insists on Malta's neutrality in EU Council summit with leaders

Prime Minister Robert Abela reiterated calls for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza during a summit of EU leaders on Thursday.

The PM was speaking during a working lunch hosted by Secretary General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres.

Abela praised the position taken by the UN and Guterres on the Gaza death toll, water and food shortages, saying the situation was a “wake up call” for the European Union.

He also slammed the EU council for remaining silent, but welcomed the shift in action. The PM insisted calls for a permanent ceasefire must be included in the conclusions.

“It’s good that humanitarian aid is given, but we must insist on a stop to fighting,” he told those present. “The pursuit of peace and social progress among all nations is not something solely enshrined in the constitution, but guides us in our international relations, including today as members of the United Nations Security Council.”

He also insisted the EU and the UN collaborate further in the Future Pact which addresses future challenges.

Metsola reiterates EP push for ceasefire

European Parliament president Roberta Metsola also reiterated the parliament's calls for a ceasefire when addressing the heads of state at the European Council in Brussels. 

"The humanitarian situation in Gaza is desperate. We need to use all the tools at our disposal to get more aid in," she said. "That is why the European Parliament will keep pushing for a ceasefire. Why we will keep demanding the return of the remaining hostages and why we underline that Hamas can no longer operate with impunity."

Metsola also proposed the setting-up of an EU-led taskforce to assess the socio-economic impact of the situation in the Red Sea, and how the effects can be mitigated. "There is a role for Europe to play here too."

Metsola told the summit that, with the European elections happening in June, leaders must work together to get out the vote. "Europe is delivering for our people, but we have to be able to get that message across every Member State. I have visited many countries to convince our people, especially our young people, to go out and vote.” 

US calls for immediate ceasefire

The US has drafted a new UN security council resolution calling for an “immediate ceasefire” in Gaza, amid mounting pressure on Israel to halt its military campaign and allow the delivery of substantial amounts of humanitarian aid into the Palestinian territory.

After the declaration of imminent famine in parts of Gaza by a UN panel of experts earlier this week, the Biden administration has been ramping up efforts to call at least a temporary halt to the fighting, on top of warning Israel against launching a ground attack against Rafah in southern Gaza.

Details of the new draft resolution were revealed as the UN released an analysis of satellite imagery showing that 35% of buildings in Gaza had been damaged or destroyed during Israel’s offensive, which has claimed almost 32,000 Palestinian lives.

The US has blocked previous attempts to pass a ceasefire resolution, and the new draft marks a significant step in its approach to the conflict.

Abela: Malta wants to safeguard neutrality

In his second intervention, which he delivered in Maltese, Abela touched on Ukraine and the EU's security and defence, noting the sensitivity of the subjects.

Abela stressed the importance of appreciating each other's positions, and that the Maltese government would like to safeguard its non-alignment and neutrality. He insisted that the Maltese constitution keeps the country from taking certain steps.

Here, Abela asked the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, to spread this message within the European Parliament.

Earlier, Metsola said that the EU must do everything within its p ower to help Ukraine to defend itself. "Our project of peace depends on our ability to be secure and autonomous. If we are serious about protecting our collective security we also need to take action on building a new EU security framework."