On June 24 and 25, Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman visited Malta as a guest of the Maltese government.
The Jerusalem Post said Israel was looking for new markets for tourism as a result of the current crisis with Turkey, where many Israelis usually go on holiday. It mentioned Cyprus and Malta.
It said: "Another possibility is Malta, to where Lieberman is scheduled to travel on Wednesday. Malta is a small country inside the 27-member EU that has not been known for its sympathies toward Israel, but which Jerusalem is increasingly trying to neutralise as an antagonistic player within various EU forums."
Malta opened a new embassy in Tel Aviv last year, and a diplomatic representation in Ramallah. The official position of the Maltese government is in line with EU policy regarding the peace process between Israel and the Palestinian National Authority, but at the same time it is a well-known fact that Malta sticks to a strictly balanced and neutral position on the issue.
In fact, although Israel regards the US and the countries of the EU as its staunchest allies and friends, it secretly keeps a list of countries that are truly friendly to its cause.
It distinguishes them from other EU countries that are officially friendly but stand aloof from a full-fledged endorsement of Israeli policy regarding what it considers security issues, and simultaneously show sympathy towards the Palestinian cause. Malta seems, unfortunately, to be seen by Israel as an "antagonistic player within various EU forums".
What Israel fails to notice is that Malta is truly the smallest country in the EU, but that its geographical position asks for a prudent stand regarding tensions in the Middle East.
Indeed, the Maltese government has gone a long way to warm up relations with Israel. But it would be unfair to expect more, given the true nature of Israeli policy.
We all know Mr Lieberman does not stand for a conciliatory attitude within the framework of the peace process with the Palestinians. Just before coming to Malta he declared the issue of "land for peace" is now obsolete, and that Israel needs to affirm its identity as a Jewish state by arranging territorial concessions to the Palestinians in such a way that Israeli Arabs would find themselves shut up in Palestinian enclaves and would have to forfeit their Israeli citizenship and become Palestinian citizens.
In this way the two-state solution would involve two distinct and more homogenous countries - a Jewish state for Israelis and an Arab state for Palestinians.
There were some who objected to Mr Lieberman's visit, but they were few and, indeed, only managed to give the impression that they are die-hard opponents of Israel and pro-Palestinian activists. But it seems that few people took notice of the visit itself, since many still do not understand what it means to maintain diplomatic relations with Israel or the Palestinian Authority.
Maltese people are familiar with Israel or the Palestinian territories mainly because a good number have come on a pilgrimage to the Christian holy places, with the initiative of the Holy Land Commissariat in Malta. Such an issue has obviously nothing to do with the visit of the Israeli foreign minister.
Yet, if Mr Lieberman or his government know that thousands of Maltese have already visited the Holy Land, they would maybe realise there is non-official contact between Maltese society and their reality, that has been in place for over 25 years.
The fact that the majority of Maltese are Catholics plays an important role in attracting visitors to Israel. Maybe Israel should attract more Maltese to the holy land. The Christian perspective sees no distinction between Jerusalem and Bethlehem, but regards them as holy places, whether they are inhabited by Israelis or Palestinians.
Unfortunately, Mr Lieberman does not realise that, as long as he continues advocating the building of walls, security fences, and check-points, in order to divide the Holy Land into an Israeli and an Arab entity, he is eroding his own country's unique position to attract tourists and pilgrims alike.