Election Playbook: Woman who shook hands with Zionist ‘flabbergasted’ by Abela’s Palestinian hypocrisy

Election update: The general public votes on 8 June, but some voting is taking place today! Voters residing at St Vincent de Paul have to cast their votes today, as well as persons residing in other elderly care homes. Meanwhile, those registered for early voting are also casting their vote today. Let the democratic process begin!

Palestinian hypocrisy: Alarming. Staggering. Flabbergasting. You would think that these were EP President Roberta Metsola’s words to describe recent attacks on Rafah. Alas, it was her words to describe Prime Minister Robert Abela’s ‘hypocrisy’ on the Palestine issue. In a brief comment to Lovin Malta, Metsola called Abela out for “speaking about the Palestinian state for months”, only to fail to recognise a Palestinian state. Valid, but less so coming from a politician that visited Israel and shook hands with Israeli president, and Zionist, Isaac Herzog. Also less valid coming from a politician that has not even condemned recent attacks on Rafah in the Gaza strip.

Explosive materials: It turns out that the person behind that small explosion outside Labour HQ on Thursday is a 19-year-old man from Santa Venera. Apparently, an explosive material nicknamed ‘Mother of Satan’ was found in a garage in Ħamrun and residents had to be evacuated from the apartment block on top of it. According to the Times, the man was identified through CCTV footage, and sources had received reports of the man “acting oddly” in other places.

Self-imposed gag order: Michelle Muscat has joined the gag order discourse by claiming that her husband is being deprived of his right to freedom of speech. She took to Facebook with a MySpace angle selfie and 153 words to defend her husband’s right to speak to the media, criticisng the Attorney General for requesting a gag order. However, it’s worth repeating that no one in the case is subject to a gag order. Yes, the Attorney General did request that defendants and lawyers in the case do not speak to the media, but this was turned down by the magistrate. Joseph Muscat is free to speak to the media, but cannot undermine the evidence or court proceedings. But maybe it’s awfully convenient for Joseph Muscat not to answer to questions from journalists.

Rosianne’s back: Kind of? She’s an independent MP, but Rosianne Cutajar is on the Labour campaign trail. She was invited to speak during a campaign even by Labour MEP candidate Alex Agius Saliba on Thursday evening, and she has also endorsed a number of Labour candidates for the upcoming local council elections. This is news because, last March, Robert Abela said Cutajar must apologise before rejoining the Labour Party’s parliamentary group. What she has to apologise for is still a bit unclear. Is it for being in bed with (for legal reasons, I use this phrase in the non-literal sense only 🙂) murder suspect Yorgen Fenech? Is it for saying that everyone in Labour was ‘pigging out’? Is it for her ITS consultancy? We’ll find out when she apologises I guess.

What’s happening today?: Going, going, Gozo! The Labour Party will be in Għajnsielem at 5:15pm, at Munxar in 5:45pm, and in Żebbuġ at 6:15pm.