Updated | Malta and Israel sign health, medical sciences action plan

An action plan between Malta and Israel in health and medical sciences was signed in Jerusalem, Israel.

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, who is heading a delegation to Israel and Palestine, today met Prime Minister Benjamin Netanjahu at Beith Aghion.

The prime ministers highlighted the need for increased cooperation between the two countries and agreed that further collaboration in health, energy, agriculture and tourism should be reached.

The signed action plan includes cooperation in quality of health services delivery, health care financing, priority of national health programmes and exchange of information at international conferences, meetings and other events which would be held in either country.

Malta and Israel agreed to exchange medical experts in various branches and Muscat also said that health minister Godfrey Farrugia would be visiting Israel to strenghten the colaboration between the two countries.

Describing Israel's health care system as "world class," Muscat said that the action plan agreed upon by the the two countries should lead to a framework to implement the plan in the health sector and beyond.

Welcoming the agreement, Muscat said the collaboration would also focus on specialised cases such as cancer treatment.

"It is with satisfaction that we have signed an action plan with Israel, which is known for its world-class health service, and we will be collaborating with Israel on specialized cases like cancer treatment," the Prime Minister said.

"We are committed to this action plan and we have the political will to take it further and implement the necessary framework to achieve our objectives."

Muscat is the first Maltese Prime Minister to visit Israel. Describing it as "well overdue", Muscat said he was very proud to be the first Maltese prime minister to visit Israel.

"We are deeply committed to strengthen Malta's relations with Israel and collaborate together on the key areas relating to both countries," he added.

On his part, Netanyahu highlighted Malta's stategic geographical position and while expressing his optimism that the bilateral relations with Malta would improve in a number of sectors, the Israeli Mrime Minister said that Malta also has an important role to play in the peace process.

Muscat reiterated Malta's position in favour of a two-state, which would see the creation of a Palestinian state besides Israel. However, there was no mention of the controversial Israeli settlements in the occupied territories and which Palestine and the international community considers as illegal.

In reference to last week's tragedy in which tens of migrants lost their lives while trying to reach Europe by sea, Muscat said that Malta acted "immediately" and could not look on as the tragedy unfolded. Noting that the majority of persons involved in the incident were Syrian and Palestinian nationals, Muscat highlighted the importance of achieving peace in the troubled Middle east region.

It is expected that Muscat will discuss the Palestinian situation in the coming days during the sheduled meetings with the Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad in Ramallah and the meeting the Prime Minister will have with representatives of the Quartet involved in mediating the peace process in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Muscat is accompanied by Foreign Affairs Minister George Vella, Tourism Minister Karmenu Vella, MP Charles Buhagiar, Maltese ambassador to Israel Simon Pullicino and Joe Mifsud, formerly Labour Party international secretary.