VALLETTA (Dispatches) – Malta has declared the country’s decision to officially recognize Palestinian statehood amid the Zionist regime’s ongoing genocidal war against Palestinians in the besieged Gaza Strip. 
Speaking at an event in northern Malta, Prime Minister Robert Abela said the formal recognition of Palestinian statehood will take place during next month’s French-Saudi conference promoting a two-state solution at the United Nations headquarters in New York, according to the English daily Times of Malta.
The small European island-state, located in the Mediterranean Sea already, hosts a Palestinian ambassador and voted last year for full Palestinian UN membership, but has yet to formally recognize the Palestinian state.
In total, 143 countries voted in favor of upgrading Palestine’s status at the world body, while nine voted against and 25 abstained.
The UN resolution also granted new “rights and privileges” to Palestine, thus recognizing it as a qualified state to join the UN as a full member.
Till now, however, the United States has been an obstacle to Palestinians’ every attempt at being recognized as a full UN member by casting its veto against pro-Palestinian resolutions in favor of the Israeli regime.
Washington is Tel Aviv’s main international backer, granting the regime laissez-faire to commit with impunity genocide, forced displacement, occupation and child-killing in Palestinian territories.
Meanwhile, Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares says the international community should impose sanctions and embargoes on the Zionist regime to stop the brutal military aggression in the besieged Gaza Strip.  
The top Spanish diplomat made remarks ahead of a Madrid meeting of European and Arab nations on Sunday.
Albares said Madrid will host 20 countries as well as international organizations with the aim of “stopping this war, which no longer has any goal.”
“We must consider sanctions, we must do everything, consider everything to stop this war,” he said. 
Humanitarian aid must enter Gaza “massively, unimpeded, neutrally, so that it is not Israel who decides who can eat and who cannot,” the top Spanish diplomat said.
A previous such gathering in Madrid last year brought together countries including Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey, as well as European nations such as Ireland and Norway that have recognized a Palestinian state.
Sunday’s meeting, which also includes representatives from the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, will also promote the so-called two-state solution to the conflict.
The Zionist regime has faced mounting international pressure, including from its closest allies, to halt its expanded aggression and allow aid into Gaza. 
European Union foreign ministers have already agreed to review the bloc’s cooperation accord with the Zionist regime.
Sweden recently said it would press the 27-nation bloc to impose sanctions on Israeli ministers, while Britain suspended free-trade negotiations with Israel and summoned the Israeli ambassador.