A very grave situation is looming a few hundred kilometres away from us. Isis is establishing military bases in Libya: in Sirte, Derna and Benghazi. They are eager to extend their caliphate not only to northern and central Africa but to Malta, Italy and Spain.
All three countries were under Arab rule hundreds of years ago and the present day jihadists and murderers want to put the clock back to the years before Count Roger of Normandy in 1091 conquered Malta and drove the Arabs away from our islands.
The Maltese people are definitely not against Muslims or their religion. We have had very excellent relations for many, many years.
Muslims are most welcome among us. But we are against the jihadists of the Islamic State who are heinous, blood-thirsty monsters.
They are not only against our Christian teachings but also against the Muslim religion. The beheading of 21 Coptic Christian Egyptians who were working in Libya, just because they were Christians, shows them in their true colours.
These atrocities were condemned by the Maltese government and by the Nationalist Party in Opposition. They were roundly condemned by all the international community, including Arab states.
Prime Minister Joseph Muscat went on record as saying that, although Malta did not have the necessary resources to send soldiers or equipment to take part in a UN-led mission in Libya, it could serve as a contact point with the Libyan people as it is the European countries Libyans trusted most.
We do not want a failed State, a Somalia, in the Mediterranean next door
He went a step further when he stated that we are not at risk of being attacked. I do not agree with his last declaration.
Where did he get this guarantee from? If Isis are claiming they are ready to conquer Rome how is it that we are not in their way?
The Italians, who have one of the best navies and modern military forces, are alarmed about the situation that is unfolding in Libya.
They are taking events next door very seriously to the extent that they are putting more military personnel on the streets and are willing to take military action under a UN-mandated operation.
The words uttered by Hussin Musrati, representative of the Tripoli government in Malta, and of the Fajr Libya – the pro-Islamic coalition of militias in power in Tripoli – that the Libyan people would unite against a ground operation in their country, as is being promoted by Italy and supported by Malta, should not be taken lightly.
Mr Musrati represents the Libyan government which is not recognised internationally but governs a large swathe of the Libyan territory, its capital and all of Tripolitania and still occupies the Libyan embassy in Malta.
His statement is uncalled for and should be taken very seriously. In such a grave situation I take it as a menace to our country. Moreover, his words of unity of the Libyan people contrast with those of the Libyan armed forces.
General Khalifa Haftar, a top brass member of the Libyan Armed Forces supporting the internationally recognised Libyan government, declared that he was ready to collaborate with the Egyptian attacks against Isis and against other terrorist groups in Libya.
Libyan Premier Abdullah al-Thinni was quoted as saying in an interview on the Tunisian radio Express Fm that raids by the Egyptian air force and army were solicited by his government and carried out in coordination with his armed forces.
What we should all agree about is that our country is defenceless. We do not form part of any military alliance and we do not have any mutual defence agreement with any European State.
Being part of the European Union does not guarantee a right to the defence of our territorial boundaries by any European country.
Our government should be considering what is best for our defence. Neutrality against Isis is not an option.
First of all, Isis is not a State and, secondly, they are a bloodthirsty organisation that should be dealt without any more waste of time.
Even if we did not agree with their regimes, whether that of King Idris or Muammar Gaddafi, the Libyan people were always our friends. Thousands of them chose Malta where to live in and to be away from all the present turmoil in their country.
Moreover, in this messy geopolitical situation, the Libyans know that we can contribute to a solution as proposed by the United Nations.
We are for stability in the Mediterranean region. We do not want a failed State, a Somalia, in the Mediterranean next door. But that will only happen if Isis lose their control on the Libyan territory they now occupy.
Joe Zahra is a former newspaper editor.