A growing number of Maltese citizens is getting concerned that Malta’s hard-won neutrality is being compromised, NGO Ġustizzja għall-Palestina said in a statement.
The repeated presence in Malta’s airspace and on land of British fighter planes is alarming especially in the context of the foreign minister’s contention that it is acceptable for Malta to take part in NATO meetings.
No public statement has explained why the British planes needed to enter the Maltese airspace and land and stay on the ground for days.
A flight of six British Royal Air Force Eurofighter Typhoon fighter aircraft stopped over in Malta earlier this month, accompanied by two Airbus KC2 inflight refuelling tankers.
The NGO also asked whether talks have been held between US or UK officials and Maltese ministers Robert Abela, Ian Borg or Byron Camilleri.
The NGO added that the shroud of secrecy is leading many to fear that Malta’s neutrality is being compromised.
“The safety, stability, progress and peace that we have experienced is under threat,” the group said.
The statement appealed to the President, the Prime Minister, and the Opposition Leader to guarantee Malta’s neutrality, deny access to foreign forces, prevent the passage of foreign forces, and strike off the Malta registry of ships engaged in hostilities.
The joint statement ends by demanding that Israel cease fire and desist from aggressive actions such as occupations.
Just how, exactly, was Malta’s self-proclaimed neutrality ‘hard-won’, praytell? Who did Malta have to fight for its neutratily?
In practice, Malta is comfortably nesting under the wing of NATO-member Italy — without any of the related obligations or costs.
It’s easy to heckle the players in the field from the cheap seats!
That said, Israel’s settlements on designated Palestinian lands have been ruled illegal by the ICJ long since, and need to be removed before there can be any realistic hope for a peaceful two-state solution. BUT, that does not justify Hamas or Hezbollah killing Israeli civilians any more than the acts of Hamas or Hezbollah justify killing Palestinian civilians.
Misguided ideology and personal greed (for power and wealth) have subvered the best interest and will of the people on both sides.
He would get a answer quicker if he asked why the Police don’t arrest politicised criminals.
How was Malta’s neutrality ‘hard-won’? Malta just put it in the Constitution and that was that. Easy as pie!