Malta calls for de-escalation of tensions in the Middle East

The government has expressed serious concerns regarding the violent escalation over the past days in East Jerusalem and the launch of rockets into Israel from Gaza.

In a statement late on Tuesday night, the Ministry for Foreign and European Affairs said it closely monitored developments in Palestine and expressed concern about the violent escalation over the past days. 

“The ministry calls on all sides to take immediate and urgent action to de-escalate tensions and cease the violence. The Ministry expresses its condolences to the families of the victims, including civilian casualties and recalls the right of the Palestinians not to be deprived of their homes in East Jerusalem. Malta reiterates its full support to a two-state solution in the Middle East," the ministry said. 

Tensions in Jerusalem have grown worse after Israeli riot police clashed with Palestinian worshippers on the last Friday of Ramadan. 

This was one of the worst disturbances since 2017. 

In solidarity with Palestine, NGOs Moviment Graffiti and Aditus are holding a meeting on Friday 14 May at 5:30pm at the Great Siege Square in front of the Law Courts. “Once again, Palestinians are being killed in Gaza and kicked out of their land in Jerusalem. We believe we cannot remain silent in the face of this injustice,” the group said.

The group said this brutality has been taking place since 1948 when “Israeli military forces kicked out hundreds of thousands of Palestinian people from their homes to create an Israeli state. In fact, May is the month when Palestinian people commemorate the Nakba, the Palestinian catastrophe of 1948.”

“During the last few weeks, Israeli settlers have intensified their efforts to kick Palestinians out of their home in Sheikh Jarrah, Jerusalem - Palestinian land that is currently militarily occupied by Israeli forces.” 

However, according to the Israeli army, they had hit 130 “military targets” in Gaza, killing 15 “Hamas and Islamic Jihad operatives" in what they say was “retaliatory strikes” after Palestinian militant groups launched rockets towards Israel. 

UN Secretary-General António Guterres also expressed his deep concern over the situation. He called on Israeli security forces to "exercise maximum restraint and calibrate their use of force", adding that "indiscriminate launching of rockets and mortars towards Israeli population centres is unacceptable."