Prime Minister Robert Abela was right to say that we must not continue turning a blind eye to the daily human tragedy unfolding in Gaza, the Nationalist Party said in a statement.

"Which makes it difficult to understand why the same Abela is now saying he will recognise the State of Palestine, but only in a month's time."

Abela on Sunday said that the time will also come when Malta will recognise Palestine as a State. He said the time "isn't far off." Abela indicated that it would take place at a conference in June, and said that it will be a government led by him that will recognize Palestine as a state.

While welcoming Sunday's announcement that Robert Abela has at last agreed to recognise the State of Palestine, the PN said, it "reminds the public that it has long been insisting that the Government take this step. Yet Robert Abela continued to dig in his heels, claiming it was not the right time."

"Now, in the past hours, it seems he has changed his mind and declared that he will recognise Palestine as a State, but is still going to wait another month to do so. Even though Robert Abela has finally bowed to pressure, it is clear that someone is tying his hands, with the result that Malta's Prime Minister is dragging his feet and stalling as much as he can."

Abela himself has acknowledged that what is happening in Gaza is a daily humanitarian tragedy, the PN said. "That is why he must now go beyond words and act, and recognise the State of Palestine today, not tomorrow," the PN said, in a statement signed by Beppe Fenech Adami, the PN's Shadow Minister for Foreign and EU Affairs, and Trade and Beppe Galea, PN International Secretary