Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1535109
6 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 7 MAY 2025 ANALYSIS even if done through non-violent direct action. In this sense, activists like Greta Thunberg inherit a long-sustained tra- dition of civil society activism dating back to the movement against slavery in the early 19th century. But this freedom is under siege amid a broader drift towards authoritarianism. Clamping down on NGOs has become a badge of honour for chest-thumping, strongman-style politicians in the EU, such as Viktor Orbán in Hungary and Giorgia Meloni in Italy. The prevailing narrative frames NGOs as agents of a globalist agenda that undermines the national interest. And while Maltese Prime Minister Robert Abela may be obliged to err on the side of caution, his stand-off with the NGO stood in stark contrast to his restrained language re- garding the likely perpetrator of an at- tack just off our shores. Europe's silence on drone strike The EU's complete silence on the re- cent drone attack on the flotilla—de- spite it occurring just outside the ter- ritorial waters of a member state and within the flight information region of three EU members—fits the general pattern of condoning Israeli impunity. While a full and transparent investiga- tion is necessary to establish responsi- bility, as the UN has requested, the con- trast with the EU's reaction to alleged Russian sabotage of gas pipelines in 2022 is stark. After the Nord Stream pipeline explo- sions, EU Commission President Ursu- la von der Leyen said any "deliberate disruption" of the EU's energy systems would provoke the "strongest possible response." Several member states, in- cluding Poland and the Baltic countries, pointed fingers at Russia. Yet, curious- ly, the results of national investigations into that incident were never published and have been kept secret. Malta's response and responsibilities When asked whether the flotilla attack changed his stance against increased defence spending, the prime minis- ter said the incident only reinforced his view. "It's crucial that our country promotes peace and not weapons and war." He is right in the sense that our active neutrality from military allianc- es like NATO gives us more freedom in calling a spade a spade. He is also right in denouncing Roberta Metsola for her soft touch on Israel, but this criticism can easily backfire on him in view of his caution. Perhaps he should also have added "justice" and "human rights," because no peace can exist without justice, whether the victims are Ukrainians or Palestinians. Malta's active neutrality does not bar it from taking a clear stance, as it did in the 1970s when it aligned itself with the Palestinian cause. In fact, moral support for Palestinian sovereignty has long been a defining aspect of Malta's neutrality and foreign policy. Nor does neutrality preclude invest- ment in surveillance of the airspace. While the drone attack occurred out- side Malta's territorial waters, the country also has economic interests in the surrounding area—for example, re- cent plans to develop renewable energy infrastructure beyond national waters, where Malta intends to proclaim an Ex- clusive Economic Zone. What Malta can still do Admittedly, the Maltese government is bound by international conventions and cannot simply mimic the actions of an NGO. The challenge of bringing a de-flagged vessel to port is a logisti- cal and legal dilemma, solvable only by granting the vessel a flag—an act that would bind the country to its fate. One also has to recognise that by accepting to repair the boat and allow it to pro- ceed to its destination, Malta is to some extent endorsing its actions. However, Malta could still have called on the EU to issue a firm statement condemning the sabotage so close to its shores. Demanding a full investiga- tion does not preclude summoning the Israeli ambassador and making it clear that Malta considers any military action near its waters as hostile. But most importantly, Malta must break with the EU's silence—it must immediately recognise Palestine and raise this issue at every high-level meet- ing. Otherwise, we cannot blame NGOs for doing everything in their power to expose the hypocrisy of a union which is turning a blind eye to genocide. Prime Minister Robert Abela was doorstepped by journalists outside parliament on Monday Israeli tanks rolling through Gaza