During a French-Saudi summit held at the United Nations on Wednesday morning, additional countries - including Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Finland, Luxembourg, Malta, Portugal and San Marino - expressed willingness to support recognition of a Palestinian state at the upcoming UN General Assembly session in September.
Malta's Prime Minister Robert Abela had already announced on Tuesday evening that his country would formally recognize a Palestinian state during the General Assembly meeting in New York. Malta will become the 146th country to do so.
Abela's declaration came just hours after a similar statement from British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and just days after French President Emmanuel Macron declared his intention to lead a similar move.
"Our position reflects our commitment to efforts aimed at achieving peace in the Middle East," Abela wrote in a Facebook post.
Israeli Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon responded, calling the statements "empty declarations that endanger the hostages and serve terrorism."
