I recently formed part of a large parliamentary delegation, composed of colleagues from both sides of the House, which represented our country in a conference organised by the European Friends of Israel. The European Friends of Israel is a political initiative which aims to improve the overall relationship between the European Union and Israel. The conference was attended by around 400 MPs and MEPs from all over Europe.

As chairman of the Malta Council for Science and Technology (MCST), the conference was of particular interest to me as Israel’s economy depends heavily on the research and development sector. I had a meeting with officials from the Weizmann Institute of Science which is one of the world’s leading multidisciplinary research institutions. There is great scope for collaboration between MCST, the University of Malta, the Malta College of Arts Science and Technology and the Weizmann Institute in the fields of post-graduate studies and technology transfer, a sector which has scope for improvement in our country.

I addressed a meeting of the Science and Technology Standing Committee of the Knesset. The main focus of the discussion was scientific cooperation between Israel and the EU and the funding of research and scientific development.

We were given the opportunity of hearing the views of a number of prominent European and Israeli politicians with regard to the political situation in the Middle East. Notable among these were the Speaker of the Knesset, Reuven Rivlin, the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanjahu, the British Defence Minister Liam Fox, and the Leader of the Opposition in Israel Tsipi Livni. The situation in the Middle East is worrying. The developments in Iran, Lebanon and Egypt give considerable cause for concern. The uprising in Egypt, mainly the result of a genuine desire for a better life by thousands of young Egyptians, may give Islamic fundamentalists the opportunity to take over. The implications of such a development are profound.

Israel must be prepared to come to an agreement with the Palestinians with regard to the formation of a fully fledged state they can call their own. The Palestinians must accept the existence of the state of Israel as a first but crucial step in this direction. Arab citizens in Israel must be given all the opportunities available to other Israeli citizens. The EU should do its utmost to encourage the rapprochement necessary between the people who populate the strip of land between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean.

We would be in a better position to assist if we were to seriously consider inviting Israel to become a member of our union of European states. We would also, by doing so and facilitating Israel’s entry into the EU, be giving a very clear sign to those whose ultimate political aim is the Islamisation not only of the Middle East but of Europe as well.

We would be signalling that we will not accept the loss of the last bulwark of western values in the Middle East. Israel is the only truly democratic country in the region. Israeli culture is intertwined with European culture. If we allow Israel to stand alone in this crucial moment in history we do so at our own risk.