“Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine brought with it a stark reminder that war on the European continent is not just a distant memory. The principles of the UN charter are at risk and need to be safeguarded. In the face of breaches of sovereignty, territorial integrity of other nations and blatant violations of the UN charter, remaining silent is not an option.”

This was written by our foreign minister in a Times of Malta article entitled ‘Malta a credible and genuine partner’, celebrating Malta’s presidency of the UN Security Council for February and its two-year membership of the council.

He went further: “As foreign minister, ensuring that Malta remains a credible partner on the global stage is one of my top priorities. We should not shy away from calling out the injustices occurring around us, in Europe, in the Mediterranean and further afield, irrespective of who is at fault. Abiding by this premise guarantees Malta’s credibility.”

Who could possibly find fault in such lofty principles?

Pity, then, that the concluding paragraph brings us back down to earth: “The UN Security Council members are the guardians of the international order we have all contributed to in the last 50 years.” Simply put, we are in for more of the same.

Admittedly, it would be unfair to expect tiny Malta to ruffle too many feathers in the international arena. However, any sober diplomat, conscious of our inherent geopolitical limitations, could have spared himself the high-sounding platitudes.

Unsurprisingly, our top diplomat chose to single out one specific aggressor who is putting “the principles of the UN charter… at risk”.

Perhaps it was the politically correct thing to do since, apparently, it is the only conflict the international community, for which read the US and its “credible and genuine partners”, cares about.

Yemen, Syria, Libya, the Israeli occupation, Ethiopia, Congo do not seem to cause undue concern. Predictably, therefore, they will not feature high in Malta’s list of priorities for its UN Security Council tenure.

Then again, there was a time, 20 years ago, when a US president, no less, threatened the UN to either endorse his planned invasion of a sovereign country or render itself irrelevant.

As George W Bush put it in September 2002: “Will the United Nations serve the purpose of its founding or will it be irrelevant?... We want the United Nations to be effective and respectful and successful. We want the resolutions of the world’s most important multilateral body to be enforced.”

We all know how the concocted narrative on Saddam Hussein’s weapons of mass destruction ended. But, crucially, we have the US president demanding that UN resolutions be enforced. Again, who could possibly disagree?

Clearly, the international community does. Just look at the case history of Israel post-1967.

We are now 55 years into the blatant disregard of UN resolutions on illegal occupation of Palestinian territories; illegal exploitation of the spoils of war; illegal settlements on occupied land; illegal eviction of Palestinians from their homes amounting to de facto ethnic cleansing; apartheid policies employed with impunity; summary assassinations of Palestinian militants and collective punishment exercised over their relatives and friends, including demolition of homes.

There has been a systematic and brazen flouting of all aspects of human rights and international law. Meanwhile, the international community continues to purport to be working for a two-state solution.

Israel has, for years now, been employing its ‘mowing the grass’ strategy in relation to Hamas and Gaza.

Every few years or so, it initiates an incursion into the Gaza Strip that leaves hundreds of civilians dead and critical infrastructure in ruins. Hospitals, power stations, schools, press offices and journalists are not spared. All this while the international community simply looks on. War crimes and crimes against humanity only happen in other parts of the world, apparently.

Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and B’Tselem, an Israeli Human Rights NGO, have all declared Israel a de facto apartheid state. Israel has simply branded these respected institutions anti-Semitic and plodded on. Clearly, as long as its actions enjoy the acquiescence of the US et al, it simply doesn’t care.

Yemen, Syria, Libya, the Israeli occupation, Ethiopia, Congo do not seem to cause undue concern- Mario Debattista

Any aggression is condemnable and the invasion of a sovereign country, even more so Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, is reprehensible and the reaction of the international community is justified. Then again, I can recall other instances of aggression against sovereign countries, when sovereignty was considered just a nuance and no hallowed right to be defended at all cost. But that was probably because, then, the aggressor was the leader, or a foremost member, of the international community.

In any case, we have witnessed an unparalleled degree of solidarity with Ukraine and a unity of purpose among the international community that still holds, one year on. The invader must be repelled and his land grab reversed.

Now compare this admirable resolve in defence of international law to the response to the brutal occupation and repression that Israel has exercised over the hapless people of Palestine. The blatant double standards are so very obvious.

The office of the prime minister recently reacted to comments attributed to EU sources that Malta was slow in identifying Russian-sanctioned properties by confirming that it was abiding fully by its commitments. It is unfortunate that similar assurances cannot be forthcoming in relation to sanctions against Israel because, of course, there aren’t any. The international community could not be bothered.

I know that Malta, unlike the US, does not accord itself the privilege of ordering unilateral sanctions on whoever it deems fit and then practically obliges the international community to comply.

There was a time, though, when our president, prime minister and leader of the opposition were not afraid to publicly don a keffiyeh to show solidarity with the Palestinian cause. That may have been just a token gesture.

Now, however, our foreign minister is better placed, or so he declares, to do something more tangible where it matters most to, as he put it, “call out the injustices occurring around us”.

That would really show us what level of credibility he, and his genuine partners within the international community, truly inspire.

I am not holding my breath but hope springs eternal.

Mario Debattista is a retired public officer.